The Beginning
by kiara 1604
Summary: The White Witch is unleashing her best kept secret on Narnia - her 18 year old daughter, Amber, who has the task of killing Edmund. However, it turns out there's more to it than she thought... And, Edmund proves to be more handsome than she though too...
1. Chapter 1

_Prologue_

**I Was Supposed To Kill Him, Not Fall For Him. Damn.**

_It wasn't supposed to happen like this._

_Her heart pulsated crazily, her blood pounding in her ears, muffling the sounds of the roaring crowd around her. _

_How had the tables turned on her like this? How had she gotten herself here?_

_Everyone in the crammed battlefield was bustling around the makeshift enclosure, everyone shoving and pushing for a better view._

_Despite the battlefield being filled with people, no-one was fighting, surprisingly, save for two people, on which all attention was focused._

_A victorious roar came from a portion of the on looking crowd, and the rest fell into a horrified silence as a sharp blow caught her on the side, knocking her to the ground with a resounding thud and a crash of metal._

_An anticipative silence took over as the standing woman smirked arrogantly as she swung her sword lazily in her bloody hands._

_They say that before you die your life flashes through your mind. She couldn't register half the images that flashed through her confused head, save for the most significant memories, which replayed her life over the past few, greatest months of her life._

_Edmund was her best memory of course. Meeting him had changed her life, cheesy as it sounded._

_And even with the disastrous turn everything had taken, she wouldn't change a single thing, because every little solitary, insignificant step had led her to Edmund, and changing that would mean never encountering Edmund, which would pretty much, suck._

_In a quick glance over the vast crowd, she spotted Edmund himself at the foremost of the Narnian side. To her, he stood out like a beacon, with a tall, built body, standing tall with his arms folded, his mouth set in a thin line, his dark unruly hair catching slightly in the light breeze. His hard, motionless face betrayed no emotion, though she thought she could see a hint of sadness in his deep, brown eyes._

_She wondered momentarily if he had forgiven her for the way she had deceived him, lied to him, used him, betrayed him..._

_Who was she kidding? He'd never forgive her. She couldn't blame him either._

_But still, even though she knew that what she had done was unforgivable, she wanted so desperately for him to pardon her. She needed him to see it from her point of view, to try and understand the desperation of the situation. _

_Her opponent chuckled lightly, confidently, and she glanced over her with mocking eyes._

_Struggling to her feet, she faced her opponent with a snarl._

_This was her way of apologising to Edmund. She was attempting to save him from death, which was ironic really, as she was just going to kill him anyway if she made it through this. That was the whole point of everything, right from the beginning. There was no way she could change that._

_She glanced at him one more time, with pleading, beseeching, and apologetic eyes. He wouldn't meet her gaze._

_She desperately wished, with all her broken heart, that she could explain everything to Edmund. Maybe then he'd understand, at least sort of._

_But it was too late. Would he ever know now?_

_As her opponent lunged for her, sword outright, Amber momentarily wondered yet again, how the hell she had gotten herself into this._

_The question was self-answered almost immediatly, without much need for thought._

_The thing that had started everything, ruined everything, was that damn prophesy. _

_She would never forget how it had happened._

_******_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**Jadis POV**

The White Witch strode purposefully down the main hallway of her castle, radiating authority and superiority.

As she stalked through the passages, the passing servants hastily moved from her path and pressed themselves against the walls, bowing their heads and breathing a sigh of relief when she continued on past them.

Jadis noted their obvious fear. During her unforeseen absence from Narnia, her command and her power over her people hadn't diminished in the slightest. In fact, when she saw Aslan next, she should probably thank him, for killing her. Jadis's death had only strengthened her reputation, as she was now one of the two people in Narnia to have risen from the dead, which to be honest, was quite an achievement.

Well, if Aslan could do it, so could she. It had given her authority an extra edge, giving her all the more power. Fear of her had heightened, and so had respect. Instead of being 'the woman who had kept Aslan at bay for near a hundred years', Jadis was now 'the woman who had kept Aslan at bay for near a hundred years, _and_ rose from the dead after he killed her.'

It had taken her loyal sorcerers what had seemed like _forever,_ to thoroughly scourge every square inch of every past battlefield where the Kings and Queens of Old had fought. Usually in battle, blood was shed, which was the key to everything. Jadis's servants began the slow and tedious operation of testing _every _single drop of dried blood on _every _single blade of grass, desperately trying to find the _perfect _DNA match for any Son of Adam.

_Eventually _they found what they deemed to be the High King Peter's blood. It was found on a piece of stone near Aslan's collapsed Keep, where Peter had fought the Telmarine King, Miraz, a few years back. Her sorcerers had then carefully proceeded to convert the dry blood sample back to its liquid form, and then finally, they were able to use it to perform the old ritual, which freed Jadis from her curse, and brought her back to life.

When she had _finally _been reincarnated, the first thing Jadis had done was kill them.

And since then, Jadis had wasted no time in immersing herself where she had left off, and reinstating her authority. She most certainly didn't plan on dying twice, and was quite positive that she didn't have nine lives.

She continued down the corridor, descending numerous staircases and, before striding through the main hall, and pushing open the castle doors purposefully. She strode through the courtyard, watching with cold satisfaction as everyone around her hastily dropped their heads and got on with whatever they were doing, hoping that she wouldn't see them, wouldn't have to talk them. She gave them a cold glare, and continued on to the training grounds.

Upon walking through the iron gates, an unmistakable hush came over the yard. All talk and chatter between the men ceased, and everyone quickly dropped their heads, watching her cautiously.

Ignoring them, Jadis made her way through the yard, approaching the firing squad. She came to a stop when she caught sight of Amber, firing arrows left, right and centre. Every single arrow embedded itself in the middle of the little red target.

Amber was Jadis's best kept secret. That she absolutely was sure of. _No one_ outside of the northlands had ever known of Amber, or knew of her now. Except for Aslan, of course.

Amber was every inch her eighteen years, tall, and elegant, yet fierce and frightening on the battlefield. She had a thin, pale face, with deep golden eyes that stood out under thick black lashes. Her face was framed with a mass of wild, curly brown hair which fluttered in the cold, artic breeze.

Amber was a brunette version of Jadis with brown eyes, and a few inches smaller. Like mother, like daughter.

No one outside of the northlands knew that Jadis even _had_ a child. Much like any mother would, Jadis had wanted her daughter protected from all the hit lists that she was on. It was one thing to be threatened with death, which Jadis didn't care much about, but it was another thing entirely to have her daughter endangered.

An unofficial agreement was in place in the northlands, between the people and herself - no one spoke of Amber, Jadis's daughter, to anyone outside of the Northlands. It kept Amber safe, seeing as Jadis had more than a few enemies. Besides, the less amount of people who knew about Amber, the better, especially after what had happened before...

Quickly pushing those thought aside, she watched as Amber irritably brushed her uncontrollable hair back from her face, as it swirled around her in the wind.

Jadis grimaced as she recalled that day, many years ago, when that old fortune teller had dared to compare her to..._him._

'_You know who she's like, Jadis? You know who she's exactly like? Her father, that's for sure. She's the spitting image of him. Especially the eyes, you know. She has his big, beautiful, brown eyes. And she ought to be proud of that, Jadis. She ought to be proud she's like her mighty father.'_

Jadis felt her mouth twist into a cold grimace at the memory. At the time, all she had been able to do was glare coldly in response.

And the worst thing was that Amber _was _the spit of her father. Every single time Jadis looked at Amber, it was like looking at _him _himself. Although it nearly killed Jadis to see it, it was sometimes the only thing that kept her going.

Jadis shook her head to herself. Too many bad memories were playing on her mind today. Firmly ignoring them, she took a few slow steps forward, coming up behind Amber and clearing her throat pointedly.

Instantaneously, Amber whirled around, expertly unsheathing her sword as she did so. She faced her mother with her sword outstretched, crouched defensively, all in a matter of seconds.

Jadis had Amber trained to the highest of standards from an early age; with all weapons. Not only was it expected of Amber, as next in line for the throne, but, from early on, Jadis and a few select others had known what Amber would unknowingly need to be prepared for when she turned eighteen.

Realising with horror that it was her _mother _standing before her and her sword, Amber hastily sheathed it again, and bowed quickly, muttering apologies all the while.

"Mother! Forgive me, I-"

Jadis raised a hand dismissively, silencing her immediatly.

"Come." She instructed coldly, motioning toward the castle.

Amber looked at her mother warily. Usually the only time she ever saw her mother was for punishments, or something of that sort.

Jadis sighed impatiently, warningly, motioning toward the castle again.

"It's _time_." She stated meaningfully, before turning and heading back toward the castle.

Amber stood still for a moment, looking dumbly after her mother's retreating figure. And then suddenly, realization dawned over her confused face, and she hurriedly dropped her bow and arrow, and hastily followed after her mother.

It was time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**Amber POV**

Amber sat in her mother's headquarters, impatiently bouncing her legs up and down, and tapping her foot of the leg of the table. Upon receiving one warning glance from her mother, she instantly stopped and became perfectly motionless.

She couldn't help it. She was_ rearing_ to go. Hadn't things already been planned to _perfection_, according to her mother? For crying out loud, her backup plans were covered with_ more_ backup plans. She was _ready _for this. _More_ than ready.

Her mother's plan was quite simple, but simplicity was the key. Telmarines had been gathering in the south of Narnian for the past few years, and according to her mother's spies, they were planning an attack, to overthrow the Narnian's. Amber scoffed at the idea of it. They barely had a thousand men; their revolt would be put down easily. But nevertheless, they provided a distraction, a period of time, in which her mother's troops would move in on Narnia, and make their own attack. Her mother had given her no more details other than that, stating that Amber had no need to know. But Amber wasn't too interested anyway. Her role in the attack was a different matter entirely, and she was focusing on that.

_She pushed the large door open quietly, stepping around it, with just a hint of nervousness swimming at the fringes of her mind. She hid her anxiety, keeping a careful, empty mask upon her face. She closed the door shut behind her._

_Her mother had returned to power a little over a year ago, much to everyone's suprise and admiration. Being the true woman of principle that she was, she had wasted no time, immediatly immersing herself in plans to invade Narnia once again. Amber had not been informed about anything yet, but knew without a doubt that she would partake in the fighting. She was seventeen now, so she was of age, and was one of the best soldiers in her country._

"_Amber."_

_Her mother's cold voice shook her from her thoughts. She was standing at the other end of the room, behind her desk, her arms folded. There was a single chair placed in front of her desk, which her mother motioned for Amber to sit in._

_Silently crossing the room and slipping into the seat, Amber noticed a book placed in front of her, open. Her mother wasted no time in greetings, instead pointing to the open page in the book._

"_Who do you see there?"_

_Amber looked closely at the picture on the page. There was a horse, with four people atop it, two males, and two females. She recognised them instantly. Her education had been nothing if not thorough._

"_The High Kings and Queens of Narnia."_

_Her mother's expression didn't change. "Correct." She pointed a thin, white finger at a particular person in the picture. "And this is King Edmund, the Just." Amber couldn't see much of him from the picture, as it was just a mere painting, but she could define him from his brother by pointing out that he had darker hair._

"_You know, we plan to attack Narnia again." Amber nodded. Her mother slid into the seat opposite her and looked directly at her with icy eyes._

"_I have a...particular plan for you."_

_Amber felt her interest rise and she leaned forward in her seat._

"_You will be involved in the battle, of course." Her mother waved a hand dismissively, avoiding the subject. "But I have something else to ask of you. And, it won't be easy."_

_Amber shook her head dismissively. She knew her own abilities, and also her limits, which she personally believed to be limitless. She had taken part in countless tournaments around the country, and had not been beaten yet. She had quite a name for herself in the northlands. "No, I'll do it."_

_Her mother nodded her head in approval._

"_I want you to get into Cair Paravel, their castle." She paused, letting this sink in for a moment. But Amber didn't look disheartened by the proposal at all. In fact, she looked all the more excited. "My spies have found that they rebuilt Cair Paravel, and are currently residing there. In the matter of buisness, I want you to somewhere get in there. You need to earn their trust, and in turn, uncover important information. Secret entrances to the castle, their army figures, and so on. Inside information will help us greatly in planning our next attack. I am letting nothing go to chance this time." Her mother's eyes hardened._

_Amber nodded willingly, her brain already miles ahead, thinking of all the possibilities..._

"_Then there is a...personal matter."_

_Amber snapped back to attention, looking curiously at her mother._

"_It involves King Edmund." That was the dark-haired guy in the book. Now that she mentioned it, Amber wondered why her mother had drawn particular attention to him._

"_We have...unfinished buisness." Jadis frowned slightly. "I can't go after him myself, as some things are preventing me from doing so." Her eyes flickered up to Amber's, who looked expectantly back at her._

"_And so, during you're stay at Cair Paraval, I need you to take care of my unfinished buisness with King Edmund." She gave Amber a meaningful look._

_Amber's smirk grew wider. "My pleasure."_

Amber huffed impatiently. That had been nearly a year ago now. She had since turned eighteen, and was now legally now the princess of the Northlands. From old storybooks and such, Amber had learned that new members of royalty usually did something to prove themselves to their people and earn their respect, and stamp down their new authority.

Amber knew that she already had achieved that with her own people, what with her personal unbeaten streak of public tournaments, which she had steadily built up over the years. But, there was no harm in further strengthening her name.

She knew she was ready. The plan was simple. Get in, get the information, take care of King Edmund and get out. And then, she would up assemble with her mother's army, and go into a battle which they would _undoubtedly_ win. Amber was well aware of the plan, and also well aware of her own plans, which she was more than ready to put in place. As confident as Amber was, there was no harm in being careful. Over the past few months, she had questioned her mother and some Telmarine soldiers on King Edmund's fighting abilities, wanting to know what she may go up against. They hadn't given her much help to be honest. All she got was biter remarks of 'he's fast' 'he's quick' and 'the damn guy is_ good_ with a sword"'. One prisoner even had a nasty gash cutting through his stomach as proof of this statement, claiming it to be from King Edmund himself

It hadn't done much good, but was better than nothing. Not that she needed any help. It was merely a precaution. She was fully sure of herself and her abilities.

"And what of Aetak?" she heard Goren, her mother's top general, ask. Jadis looked questioningly to her daughter.

"She's coming with me." Amber said firmly, glancing down at the leopard sitting beside her. Aetak had been her companion for as long as she could remember. Amber had had a lonely childhood, forbidden from playing with other children. She had spent the majority of her childhood training, where she had met Aetak, a fellow soldier. Aetak had taken Amber under her wing, and the two had been unlikely, but inseparable companions since then.

"She won't get in the way of things or anything?" Goren asked worriedly. A low growl from Aetak quickly shut him up.

Jadis sat back in her chair. "Well, will that be it then?" she said in a bored tone.

Goren paused for a moment, and then looked from Amber back to the queen nervously. "Well..."

Amber inwardly groaned. She was sick of this waiting around. She just wanted to _go_.

"The men have been questioning...the old...prophesy..."

Immediatly, Jadis sat forward, her whole body tensing up. "Amber, you may leave now. The men will take you as far as the forbidden forest, and you will walk from there. Make sure you are well prepared. _No mistakes_." Her mother's voice sounded extremely irritated, containing fury just ready to explode. Amber stood hastily, giving a quick "yes, mother" and left the room hurriedly. Inwardly, she wondered what this _prophesy_ could be, and why it had provoked such a reaction from her mother.

Closing the door shut behind her, Amber saw her mother's soldiers standing ready, waiting to accompany on her journey. Quickly, she pushed the thought to the back of her mind, focusing on the matter at hand and readying herself to leave.

**Jadis POV**

Once the door clicked shut behind Amber, Jadis stood abruptly. Her face was angry, and glared icily Goren, who looked understandably nervous.

"How dare you." she said coldly.

Goren stood too, his expression defensive. "Your majesty, with all due respect, the past prophesies have both come true, in your case. First you lost Cas-"

"I _know_."

"And then Bre-"

"_I don't need to be reminded_." Jadis said through her teeth.

"The prophesy is well known around here. And everyone knows the unstoppable strength of The Green Lady." Goren said, in a serious tone. "Jadis, Amber isn't ready for a task of this importance, with this much at stake. And how can you expect her to succeed, with the prophesy? He exclaimed. "Does she even know what's at stake?"

"I don't think Amber needs to know." Jadis stated coldly, her expression warning Goren to stop. He didn't notice though.

"Well, I _do_!" Goren protested. "If you're going to ask this much of Amber, at least let her know the _truth_!"

Jadis folded her arms, fury clear on her face. "Goren, when you're ready to take over, let me know, and I'll clear my desk." She said coldly.

Goren's face clouded over, and he dropped his head.

"I have made things clear." She continued coldly. "Regardless of this prophesy, I would want Edmund punished for how he escaped me all those years ago anyway. It just so happens to be that it fits in with this certain predicament. And when all of this is over, I would have invaded Narnia again anyway. Everything is just coming sooner rather than later."

Goren shook his head slowly. "I don't think this is the right way to do it, Jadis."

Jadis narrowed her eyes. "Good thing your opinion doesn't matter here then, isn't it?"

Goren didn't say anything.

Jadis looked away, out the window. "I'm doing all I can." She said finally, her voice quiet. "You have children Goren, correct? Consider yourself in my situation. Not easy, is it?"

Goren sighed. "Jadis, I just don't agree with what you're doing."

Jadis glared at him. "If you lost a child, and the opportunity arose to get them back, you would _jump_ at the chance." She snapped coldly.

Goren's expression was pleading. "But at the expense of Amber's life?"

Jadis stood abruptly, glaring at him. "Do you think I would put Amber's life on the line?" she challenged, her tone venomous.

"You already have!" He said desperately.

Silence.

"Goren." Jadis's voice was dangerously low. "I would think before I talk, if I were you." Goren looked away, looking uncomfortable

Her eyes narrowed to slits. "You're underestimating Amber." She continued. "She's been prepared for this her whole life, moulded especially for this _one_ specific task. She _won't_ let me down." Jadis sounded certain.

"And you think harsh, physical training, will help Amber mentally defy a prophesy set in _stone_?" Goren pointed out.

Jadis's mouth tightened. "Amber's training has given her mental strength, as well as tough willpower. She _won't_ let me down." She repeated forcefully.

Goren leaned forward anxiously. "Jadis, _please_. I know how much this means to you. But it will kill you if you lose Amber aswell." He said quietly.

Jadis stiffened at this, her eyes growing cold. "I'm not going to lose her." She snapped.

Goren looked beseeching. "Jadis, she's not ready for this!" he exclaimed. "She's only a child, for crying out loud! And think of what you're asking of her!"

Jadis narrowed her eyes. "In case you've forgotten your place Goren,_ I_ am Amber's mother. Not you. And_ I_ haven't asked anything of her that she's not capable of."

Goren looked incredulous. "You honestly think she's capable of this?" he asked disbelievingly.

Jadis's irritation was obvious now, as she raised an arm and pointed toward the door. Goren noticed her hand shaking with unmistakeable anger. "Goren, leave." She snapped coldly.

Goren looked at her, pleading. "Jadis, you can't do this."

"I can whatever I want. In case you've forgotten, I'm queen." She reminded him.

"Jadis, you can't-"

"Goren."

"Just throw away her life like this-"

"_Goren."_

"There must be-"

"I am _not_ going to lose Breanne!" Jadis suddenly roared.

Goren broke off, clearly taken aback by her sudden outburst. Jadis stood, shaking uncontrollably, her mouth set in a thin, furious line.

"You _don't _understand a mother's love for her child. You_ don't_ understand." She snapped, her voice trembling with anger.

Goren didn't say anything, knowing better.

"You _don't _understand." Jadis repeated again, her hands curled into fists. "I'm _not_ going to lose Breanne." She repeated firmly, her eyes fierce.

Goren took a tentative step forward. "Your majesty-"

Jadis's expression changed, her anger vanishing away to cold indifference. "You're _still _here?" she said in a bored tone.

Goren sighed tiredly. "Jadis-"

Jadis sat back down, leaning back into her seat. "Good day, Goren. You are dismissed" She said passively.

Goren tried again. "Your majesty, with all due-"

"_Leave,_ Goren. I'm _not_ going to ask you again." Jadis said firmly, a trace of irritation in her voice.

Goren hesitated. But he could tell by her expression that she meant it. He ground his teeth in frustration, before bowing before her. "Your majesty." He said, as politely and respectfully as he could manage. Holding his tongue, he made his way over to the door, closing it behind him as he left.

Jadis didn't move, even after he left. She sat there, gripping the table with a furious, iron grip. Goren didn't understand. _No one_ understood. No one could _possibly _understand how much this meant to her, how _important _it was.

Aetak padded across the floor, pausing beside Jadis. She was huge, her mammoth body dwarfing Jadis's desk. "May I suggest something?" she said indifferently, in her gravelly, deep voice.

Jadis looked toward her. Aetak's opinion was always one that Jadis valued. Aetak had been always been there, for as long as she could remember, growing up alongside Amber. Jadis could remember her as a mere cub, and now, here she stood, developed to a towering creature that reached above Jadis's waist, when she stood at her full height. She nodded her approval.

"Seek Aslan's assistance." Aetak said simply.

Jadis froze, and looked incredulously at Aetak.

"You can't be serious." She said after a moment, her tone disbelieving.

Aetak nodded. "I am."

Jadis sank into deep thought, considering the option.

Ask Aslan for help? Jadis knew that he would undoubtedly help, seeing as it was _Amber_. But she didn't know if he would give up Edmund to save her. He was extremely close to those Pevensies, and as far as she knew, he was doing his best to protect Caspian also.

And besides, she didn't _want _to ask him for help. She could do this without him.

She shook her head decisively. "It wouldn't work." She said carefully, lying through her teeth. Jadis knew well that Aetak was right, as usual. It _would _work. Despite Aslan's relationship with the Pevensies, he would do anything to protect Amber, and Breanne. Not to mention Caspian. Maybe like her, he even hoped things might return to normal, like before, prior to when all this had started.

But Jadis's pride wouldn't let her. Too much had happened. Nothing could be the same again.

Aetak shrugged, knowing better than to argue with Jadis. She turned her back on her, walking toward the door.

"Keep me informed, Aetak. Please." Jadis called after her.

Aetak nodded, and left. Jadis sat back again, left alone with her thoughts.

_Am I doing the right thing?_

She didn't even know anymore.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Amber POV**

Pushing open the door of the carriage, Amber slowly made her way down the steps, Aetak following behind. Her eyes widened as she looked around, taking in her new surroundings.

Unreal. There was no _snow_. It was all green, pure _green_! And it was warm. Amber could actually see the sun; it wasn't hidden behind grey clouds that bore _constant_ snow. Instead, the sun was set amidst an endless sky of pure blue, filled with fluffy white clouds.

"_Amazing!_" she whispered under her breath. Back home, the Northlands were under the near _constant_ cover of grey, dull clouds, and it snowed just about every day. And in turn, the snow just about covered _everything_ in sight. Amber had never seen anything else but that in all her life. This was...something else _entirely_.

"Your majesty? You have everything?" Goren's voice brought her back to attention. He and a few other select guards had accompanied her in one of the royal carriages, as far as the forbidden forest. From there on, she was on her own. Goren had been unusually quiet throughout journey, his usual pre-battle tips and pep talks noticeably missing.

"I have all I need." Amber was nothing if not practical. Underneath her simple dress, she had protective armour on, with pockets hidden in them. She had her dagger and her sword all well hidden beneath her skirts. She even had a small bow and plenty of arrows hidden away too.

"And you are ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." She replied easily. Amber had planned _everything_. Nothing had gone unnoticed; her story and such had been planned to perfect detail. This would be _easy._

"Well then, Amber, I suppose this is where we part." Goren said solemnly. "We wish you the best of luck, and hope to see you soon, safe and sound. Tread wisely." He shook her hand briefly, bowing as he did so. He looked as if he wanted to say something else, but thought better of it. "Be careful." He pleaded.

There was no time wasted with goodbyes. The other men bowed respectfully, all wishing her luck. They then turned the carriage around, and began heading towards home. Quickly growing smaller, Goren held up his hand and gave her a small wave as he faded into the distance. Amber raised her own hand and gave a small wave in return, watching them until they disappeared.

Wasting no time, Amber turned; facing the forest ahead of her. Already, she felt stifled by the heat, as it was much warmer here than she was used to back home. She pulled off her thick cloak, and began walking toward the forest, with Aetak padding at her side, in companionable silence.

As they made their way through the thick, dense forest, Amber inwardly marvelled at how _different _it was to home. Without the bright, white snow covering everything in sight, it was quite dark and dim. Instead of glittering, soft snow, there were dark, shadowy trees, with dark green moss coating the ground, along with tufts of green grass. Amber nearly fell numerous times, looking at everything around her, instead of watching where she was going.

She was used to hearing the sound of snow crunching under her feet as she walked, but here, she heard the crackle of all the fallen leaves at her feet. It startled her sometimes, as she forgot where she was. She was in awe at the incredible differences, marvelling at each and every little thing she saw.

After about two hours of trudging through the forest, Aetak pointed out hoof marks imprinted on the forest floor.

"We're getting close now. Just another short while."

Amber paused, thinking briefly. She glanced around quickly, surveying her surroundings with narrowed eyes. "Hang on, Aetak. I need to do something."

Aetak watched curiously as Amber made her way over to a dry bank, where a stream had dried up to a mere trickle. All that was left now was damp mud.

Watched incredulously, Aetak's large eyebrows rose as Amber suddenly dropped down onto a particular muddy spot on the forest floor. She looked at Aetak with an expression of disgust, before grimacing, and rolling herself around in the mud, wiping streaks of mud across her face as she did so. Finishing, she stood tentatively, assessing herself. She frowned distastefully at she looked down at herself, before trudging over to a nearby tree. Reaching up, she yanked off a small branch, running her hair through it, wincing as tufts got caught.

When she finally stopped, she looked down at herself, shuddering with disgust at her unruly, unkempt appearance.

Her dress was now an absolute mess; coated with patches of dirty mud, as was her face. Her once tidy hair now had streaks of mud running through it, with tangles caught everywhere. She looked a state. She looked at Aetak, her expression full of revulsion.

"Do I look like a lord's daughter from the Lone Islands, who was shipwrecked, and has spent several weeks trying to find citizenship?" she asked sceptically.

Aetak just shook her head, smiling slightly in amusement, and resumed walking. Huffing, Amber followed awkwardly after, uncomfortably conscious of how dirt she was. Her expression illustrated her obvious disgust.

They had been walking for about another hour or so, sticking to the newfound path, with a line of thick bushes on their left. Amber wasn't really paying attention to her surroundings anymore, having gotten relatively used to her new environment. She was watching her footsteps on the forest floor, and so was taken aback when Aetak stopped abruptly and growled, glancing around warily.

Looking back now, Amber hated to admit it, but she never saw it coming. A shriek escaped her as something jumped out from the bush beside her, and knocked her into a nearby tree.

**Edmund POV**

King Edmund was atop Philip, his horse, who was tense and ready to go, just waiting for his command. Edmund kept a sharp, careful eye on his surroundings, looking for any sign of movement. He _had_ to catch that godamn deer. He couldn't let Peter win _again_.

A flicker of movement to the left caught his eye. Behind the shelter of bushes, Edmund craned his neck, his eyes sharply scanning the bushes around him.

But after a closer look, he could see it wasn't the deer. No, it looked more like...a person. Maybe two. He slid silently off Philip, sword in hand, and moved slowly, silently towards the strangers.

_Probably godamn Telmarines again._ He thought. _They're forever causing trouble_...

Using a bush for cover, Edmund came up right next to them, and tried to peer through. They appeared to have stopped, and were looking around.

_One person...and one...one..._

_What the hell is that_?

A low growl interrupted his thoughts, and Edmund knew instantly that he'd been found. Thinking quickly, he jumped out from behind the bush, knocking straight into someone, who fell to the ground, with a shriek of "You _idiot_!"

He ignored the fallen person, as they weren't much of a threat lying on the ground. Instead he focused his attention on the other intruder; it was a leopard, it seemed.

Growling, the leopard launched toward him with a ferocious growl and bared teeth. Quickly darting to the side, Edmund then turned around on his heel to deliver his sword home, but paused when the leopard did.

It had paused on its turn to face him, and now seemed to be measuring him up, looking at him with a curious expression.

Edmund frowned in confusion when the leopard suddenly dropped its aggressive stance, taking a step backward, still keeping a careful eye on him. He kept his sword outstretched, unsure of how to proceed.

"You bloody _idiot_." A harsh voice from the ground startled him. Keeping his sword trained on the leopard, he glanced to the side, catching sight of...a _girl_?

Bloody hell, she looked like she'd been to hell and back. She was a mess, an absolute _mess_. Her hair, her face, her dress...she was trying to brush down her dress now, but to no avail. The only place that dress could go was the bin, by the looks of it.

"Bloody hell. You just...you just-you _idiot_!" she spat, obviously at a loss for words. She turned her face up to him, her expression furious. He felt a trace a guilt run through him as he took in her appearance. She had a trickle of blood running down the side of her face, obviously from him knocking her into that tree_. _He refused to apologise though.

_She called me an idiot, three times_.

"Who are you, and what buisness do you have in Narnia?" he asked firmly, turning his sword to point it toward her. She raised an eyebrow in response, looking contemptuously at him, like he was nothing but a piece of dirt.

Suddenly, Peter, Susan, and Lucy appeared through the trees. "Ed?_ Edmund_?" Lucy burst out, her expression anxious. "We heard the racket. What on earth-"

She paused abruptly, catching sight of the two intruders. Instinctively, Peter quickly drew his sword, and Susan assembled her bow and arrow with lightning speed, aiming it toward the leopard, who merely raised an eyebrow at her.

The girl's furious expression had vanished, and she now looked at them with a thoughtful expression, frowning while carefully assessing them, like the leopard had. Edmund saw something flicker through her eyes and, instantly, she collected herself, and her face turned perfectly apologetic.

"Forgive me" she said sweetly to Edmund, her eyes wide and innocent. "You took me by suprise!" She stood slowly, raising her arms as if in surrender. "I mean no harm, honestly. I am simply lost." Her expression instantly became perfectly miserable.

"Oh, _no_!" Lucy gushed empathically, her expression horrified. "Don't worry, we-"

"Where are you from?" questioned Peter, his sword not budging.

"The Lone Islands." The girl answered, still wide eyed.

_The Lone Islands? What the hell is she doing here_?

As if hearing his unspoken question, the girl continued. "I am the only daughter of the Lord Delanate. Just over a week ago, we were travelling to Narnia by ship, to see old relatives of my mother's. Once on land, we were attacked."

_Probably those Telmarines again_... Edmund groaned inwardly.

The girl's face fell. "I survived, along with my companion, Aetak. But unfortunately, the rest of the crew, including my father, weren't as lucky." She sniffed, as if holding back tears. "We have been lost for a week now, wandering through this forest"

_Well, that explains her appearance..._

Glancing questioningly at each other, both Susan and Peter withdrew their weapons slowly upon nodding decisively at each other. Edmund also lowered his sword, re-sheathing it slowly. Obviously they trusted this girl. Edmund couldn't argue. She seemed to be honest enough.

Lucy took their actions as permission to run forward and take hold of the girl's hands. "Don't worry! You can stay with us! What is your name?"

The girl let out a relieved sigh and gave a small smile. "Amber. My name is Amber Delanate. Oh, I'm so happy I have been have found..." they both droned on, Lucy linking arms with her, turning and walking in the general direction of Cair Paravel.

Motioning for Philip to join them, Edmund fell back into step with Peter. They walked in silence, Lucy babbling behind them, until Peter spoke.

"Oh, Ed?"

"What, Pete."

He smiled wickedly. "I got the deer again."

**Amber POV**

Lying in a hot tub several hours later, Amber smirked in satisfaction to herself.

It had all gone perfectly, without a problem, better than she ever could have imagined. Of course, she had been slightly lucky that they had been out hunting, and that Edmund came across her. All it had taken then was a little licking up to Lucy, and now she was her new BFF. And with that, Amber's stay in Cair Paravel was looking rather permanent.

_Perfect_.

She climbed out of the bath, wrapping herself in a towel. Lucy had gladly given Amber her own bedroom, complete with her own walk in wardrobe, en suite bathroom, and a balcony that overlooked the courtyard below. She had then insisted that Amber make herself comfortable, and that after, she should come and eat dinner with them tonight.

Amber walked over to her wardrobe, pulling open the doors. She wanted to make a good impression at this dinner; she needed to earn their respect so she could get her job over and done with, and then get out of here.

She grimaced when she saw the selection of dresses before her. At home, Amber was used to extravagant, dark toned, tailor made clothes, made exactly to her preferences, requirements and taste. It didn't seem to be the case here.

"Ugh. _Brown_." She muttered to herself, her tone disdainful. "Who wants to wear clothes the colour of _shit_? And _orange_. And _green_. Oh, for crying out loud!" Had they_ any_ decent clothes here at all?

Pushing her way through the crammed rails, she impatiently grabbed the only decent looking dress she could see. It seemed to be a relatively acceptable colour; a simple dark blue dress, with lilac decorating it in places. She groaned, holding it up before her. It would just have to do.

_I'll have to see about dying these dresses different colours, without offending them_...Rubbing herself dry, she pulled the dress over her head, not even bothering to see what it looked like. Crossing the room, she sat down in front of the mirror, rubbing a towel through her hair.

"Up or down?" Amber enquired.

"Down." Aetak called from somewhere across the room.

Amber proceeded to comb through her hair, pulling tetchily at the tangles.

"What do you make of King Edmund?" she said suddenly.

Aetak was lying at the foot of Amber's king-sized bed. She lifted her giant head, pondering for a moment. "He nearly had me earlier, in the forest, you know."

Amber paused and turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow. "Really?"

Aetak nodded.

_Well...he's fast, I'll give him that. And he did catch me by suprise in the forest, godamn him_...Amber mused.

"I wouldn't underestimate him. He's agile. Good with the sword." Aetak paused. "He's one to watch." Her head went down again.

Amber frowned. Aetak was right. She definetly shouldn't underestimate him. King's aren't plonkers, after all. They're kings for a reason.

**Edmund POV**

"So, how are the Lone Islands these days? I've never actually been there. Only Edmund and Lucy have." Peter enquired, at dinner that night.

"Oh, it's terribly rough. Pirating and such." Amber gave a little shudder, taking a spoonful of her soup.

"I've heard as such. Edmund, you and Lucy were attacked during your visit there, weren't you?" Peter turned to him.

"Yeah." He responded simply, trying to eat his food.

Amber turned to him, her face curious. Edmund had to admit, she cleaned up pretty well. She looked far better now than she had in the forest. She was free of mud, wearing a dark blue dress which highlighted her clear, pale skin. She had curly brown hair that framed her face, slightly wet at the end. Her eyes were brown too, a deep chocolaty brown, framed by thick black lashes.

"And did you get out OK?" Amber asked him, smiling pleasantly at him with those big brown eyes. Could eyes be _that_ big?

"Well, obviously." He said without thinking, taking another spoon of soup

"_Edmund_!" chorused the disapproving voices of Peter, Susan, and Lucy. Edmund rolled his eyes. He couldn't help it. He hadn't got much sleep last night, and everyone in Cair Paravel knew what he was like when he hadn't had much sleep.

"Please forgive my idiotic brother." Lucy said, glaring at him. Edmund scowled in response. That was the fourth time today he'd been called an idiot. Four times too many, in his opinion. "His brain isn't connected to his mouth."

"Well, obviously." Amber smirked, throwing his words right back at him. She smiled at him again, but this time, her smile wasn't as pleasant as it had been beforehand. "I was _going_ to point out that most people who are captured are sold as slaves. May I ask how you got yourself out of that predicament?" she smiled prettily.

"I had connections." Edmund stated simply, his voice ringing with finality as he returned to eating. He felt Lucy kick his foot under the table, hard. He nearly choked on his mouthful of food, hastily grabbing his glass of water and downing it quickly, nearly spilling it down himself in his haste.

"Idiot" Peter muttered discreetly.

_Fifth time today_...

Sighing, Peter turned back to Amber, clearly trying to change the subject. "So, what are your plans now, Amber?"

Once again, Amber's face became the perfect picture of sadness. "Oh, I don't know" she sighed miserably. "I have nothing to go home to. My mother passed away many years ago, and now my father is gone too! Oh lord, _whatever _will I do..." she trailed off sadly, looking down at the table miserably.

"What about those relatives you were coming to see?" Edmund asked innocently. He quickly received yet another swift kick under the table, this time from Susan. "Ow?" he spat at her.

Lucy glared at him again, before reassuringly squeezing Ambers arm. "Don't fret, Amber. You don't have to worry about going anywhere! You are now _officially_ our guest of guest of honour in Cair Paravel!"

Peter nodded in agreement. "You can stay for as long as you want, Amber. Feel free."

_Oh great. Now we're a lost and found centre. We should put up signs..._

Amber's face lit up, her big brown eyes widening. "_Really?_ Oh you're so _kind_! Thank you _ever_ so much!"

Edmund rolled his eyes again. Since when did they take random strangers from forests and give them free accommodation at the castle? "Whoopee." he muttered under his breath.

This time, three legs kicked him, along with a chorus of muttered "_Idiot_."

_Unbelievable. I've lost count by now. _

_Just unbelievable._


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**Amber POV**

Amber woke up the next morning to find the sun blaring in through the windows of her room.

Ugh. It was so godamn _bright_. Groaning, she threw back the covers, washing and dressing quickly before departing.

Lucy had insisted that Amber join them for breakfast in the morning, in the 'breakfast room'. Amber had no real choice in the matter, and so, agreed to do so, much to Lucy's delight. It didn't take much to make the girl happy, Amber found. She was quite easily amused.

After numerous wrong turns, walking down the same hall about four times, and receiving directions from servants dashing around, Amber eventually came to a stop before a door she had already passed numerous times.

Despite being nearly twenty-five minutes late, both Lucy and Susan warmly welcomed her with bright smiles, as they ate their breakfast. Seating herself, Amber hesitantly helped herself to some sort of food that was laid out on the table. Where was the warm oatmeal, the fruit, the hot drinks? She tentatively started eating, whilst listening to both Lucy and Susan talk excitedly about someone named 'Caspian', who was returning from somewhere, later this month. From what she heard of their conversation, he and Susan were apparently 'courting'. Amber threw in a random comment here and there, smiling along with them, to show she was paying some form of attention to them, while she ran through things in her head.

"Amber? Are you done?" Lucy suddenly enquired, shaking Amber from her thoughts.

Amber looked up from her..._food_. "Oh, yes, it was...lovely." _Yeah right. Seriously, what was this stuff?_ Burnt bread with yellow stuff swimming around on it? Were these people in their _right_ minds? "Why?" she asked.

Susan both stood, Lucy following suit, both smiling invitingly. "We were going to go out and join in with the boys training. Would you like to join us?"

_And see the standard of Narnian soldier's standards? And more importantly, witness the standard of Peter and Edmund's swordsmanship_? She couldn't miss this!

"I'd love to!" she smiled, standing and joining them.

**XXX**

Amber delicately sat on the wooden fence alongside Lucy, in the burning heat of the stupid, sweltering Narnian sun. With sharp eyes, she watched both Edmund and Peter's every move, committing it to memory. She also kept a careful eye on Susan, who had since joined in with the two Kings, and was firing her arrows at targets that were laid out in the field.

And, to Amber's immense fury, she was hitting every one.

Amber felt a spark of annoyance, and her competiveness burned inside her. She had to admit, grudgingly, that Susan was pretty good.

Tearing her narrowed eyes away from Susan, she focused back on Peter and Edmund. She had to admit that they weren't all that bad either. And they were only using blunt swords! They would both be absolutely lethal in battle. She watched curiously as they laughed and jabbed and swung at each other with precise accuracy and lightning speed. She turned to Lucy curiously.

"Why don't you join them?"She inquired.

Obviously beat for now, Peter and Edmund broke off their fighting and appeared next to them, still laughing and breathing heavily. They gratefully grabbed the water jugs from Lucy, who was laughing at Amber's question.

"Are you kidding me? Peter won't let me _near_ a sword!"

With raised eyebrows, Amber turned inquisitively to Peter, who looked at bit embarrassed. Amber was genuinely suprised at this. In the Northlands, _every_ single child was taught basic fighting skills, from an early age.

"_Really_? Not even self-defence?" Amber asked, genuinely suprised. _Lucy is royalty. She has to be able to fight. It's_ _expected, isn't it_?

"Well...not _really_. I mean, there's no need. You know, she's youngest. I couldn't let her..." Peter fumbled for his words, unable to come up with a proper excuse.

Lucy groaned in exasperation, but made no effort to argue. Clearly, they had had this argument many times before. Edmund elbowed Peter playfully, smirking at him. "He's forever babying her." He teased.

Amber snorted. _Ridiculous. She's what, fifteen? I've been able to fight since the age of seven!_

"So, Amber, can _you_ fight?" Edmund asked curiously, turning to look at her.

Amber was unable to hide her smirk. It couldn't do any harm, could it?

"I can fight, yes. As I said yesterday, the Lone Islands is quite a rough place to live in. So I would be able to look after myself, my father had me trained alongside his men. I was trained to a relatively high standard." She lied smoothly, shrugging innocently.

Susan had joined them by now, and like the other three, she looked suprised, and quite impressed. "With what?" she asked.

Ambers smirk didn't budge. "Everything." She said proudly, a hint of a challenge in her voice as she eyed Susan.

Susan smiled pleasantly, but Amber thought her smile looked rather mocking, and rather cocky. "Care to demonstrate?" she offered, holding out her a bow and arrow to Amber.

Smiling sweetly at Susan, Amber took hold of them and hopped off the fence. "Of course." She could see right through Susan's sardonic little smile. She thought she was simply entertaining Amber, assumed that Amber could never possibly be as good as her. Ambers smile hardened. _I'll show her._

She confidently marched toward the target, inwardly assessing it. She wasted no time in assembling her bow, tightening it securely and making sure she was ready. With a flourish, she fired.

The arrow flew straight toward the red circle, embedding itself precisely in the centre. Inwardly smiling to herself, Amber moved on to the next target, eager to put Susan in her place. She expertly put together her bow and arrow again, and fired again. She turned to the next target, and the next, leaving arrows embedded in the red circles with a flourish.

Having completed the course, and successfully aimed and landed each and every arrow, Amber turned back to her on looking crowd. She tried to hide her victorious smirk, and also fought the urge to laugh outright upon seeing Susan's outraged face. She heard Edmund let out a low chuckle.

Susan practically growled, and marched stiffly to Amber's side, glaring at her with narrowed, defiant eyes. She raised her arm, pointing at a nearby oak tree, which towered above them. It stood around fifty feet away from them, and bore a few little acorns, which were barely visible from where Amber and Susan stood.

Susan looked at Amber in the eye, clearly challenging her.

"Pick one."

Amber caught on straight away, laughing inwardly. Did Susan _really_ want to do this? Was she prepared for the embarrassment?

Susan determined scowl answered Amber's inward question. Okay then_. She asked for it..._

Amber pointed to a random, tiny acorn, hanging a middle branch. Her chin high, Susan assembled her bow, and fired. Her arrow narrowly skimmed off the side of the acorn, just about knocking it off. As the acorn dropped to the ground, she turned back to Amber, smiling proudly as if to say '_beat that'_.

With a smug smirk, Susan then pointed to another acorn. It took Amber a moment to make it out, hidden behind several other branches. From where Amber was standing, it was near impossible to see.

Amber smirked. That would make the victory all the more sweet.

"Can you get that?" Susan said mockingly.

Amber smiled wickedly. "Watch and learn." She said, laughing at Susan's furious face.

Amber once again assembled her bow, and attached her arrow. She expertly set her aim, and then, narrowing her eyes, she focused on her target. Carefully pulling back the elastic just that _extra _little bit, the way she had been taught, Amber released the arrow with a _thwang_.

It hit home, of course. It cut straight through the air and embedding itself in the bottom of the acorn, staying with it as it fell to the ground with a quiet _plop_.

Edmund let out a roar of laughter and began clapping his approval, as did Peter and Lucy, once they had got over their initial shock.

Susan didn't say a word, staring silently at the fallen acorn. She looked shocked, to say the least. Angry, too. After a minute, she stiffened and dropped her bow to the ground. She shot Amber a venomous look, before she turned on her heel, and began stalking in the direction of the castle. Amber inwardly laughed, looking at her marching away in defeat.

Lucy sent Amber an apologetic smile before turning and running after Susan's retreating figure, obviously going to reason with her. That only made Amber all the more smug, seeing Lucy have to reason with her older sister about being a sore loser.

Peter was smiling slightly, still shaking his head to himself. He picked up Susan's discarded bow, and wandered away idly, randomly firing at unused targets. Edmund was still in fits of laughter. Shaking his head, he struggled back to the fence, holding his sides. Doubled over, he leaned against the fence for support, still laughing uncontrollably.

Amber's smug smirk faded as she stared at him, her brows furrowing together to form a frown. Was he laughing at..._her_?

If there was anything Amber hated more than losing, it was being laughed at. No one laughed at her, and got away with it. Narrowing her eyes, she marched up to him.

"What are you laughing at?" she demanded angrily, putting her hands on her hips.

He was _still _laughing. "Her _face_!" he chuckled, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. "It was _brilliant_! I've ever seen _anything_ like it..." He let out another laugh.

Amber felt a slow smile spread across her face. It _had_ been rather funny. Well, a lot.

And, besides, Edmund's smile was infectious. He shook his head in wonder, still smiling widely. "She's _never_ been beaten before, _ever_. Oh, her _face_..." he trailed off, laughing again. This time, Amber found herself laughing along with him, the image of Susan's outraged face stuck in her head.

Eventually, he sighed deeply, his laugh wearing off into a wide smile. He wiped his eyes again, and then looked up at Amber, with a thoughtful expression on his face, like he was measuring her up. Amber frowned self-consciously under his scrutiny, watching with confusion as sudden curiosity and mischievousness entered his dark eyes.

"So, you said you were trained with every weapon?" he asked suddenly, smiling playfully.

Realisation flooded through her, along with amusement. Her smile widened unconsciously. "Every weapon." She answered, laughter ringing in her voice. She could see where this was going, much to her delight.

Edmund's eyes danced with amusement. He leaned down and picked up his sword, swinging it lazily in his hands. He smiled invitingly at her, with a hint of teasing in his eyes. "Care to demonstrate?" he questioned innocently, using Susan's earlier words.

This time, Amber couldn't hold back her laugh.

**Edmund POV**

Edmund was in a far better mood than he had been in yesterday. So far today, he hadn't been called an idiot once, and he had just seen his stuck up sister get a beating from the new girl, Amber. Susan's expression had been absolutely priceless; she had been convinced that no one in the world could beat her when it came to her bow and arrow skills. But, apparently, she was wrong. And apparently, she didn't like being wrong.

Edmund had judged Amber wrongly, labelling her as one of_ those_ girls. Those irritating, simpering girls that hung around the castle, all desperate and vying for his attention. But, after seeing Amber's performance against Susan, his opinion was quickly beginning to change, and he realised now that she wasn't one of _those_ girls, thank God.

And now he was standing opposite her, sword in hand. Neither of them wore armour; she had refused it, and, not wanting to be shown up by a girl, he too had dismissed the protective gear. That confident smirk was still plastered on her face as she held her sword lazily; looking as though she didn't have a care in the world. Obviously, she thought she could one-up him like she did Susan. He laughed inwardly. Well, she thought _wrong._

She had been good, against Susan, Edmund would give her that. And no doubt she was good with that sword too. But she wouldn't win against _him_. He wasn't going to _let_ her win against him. If she thought that he, King Edmund, was going to let a _girl_ beat him, she clearly had her knickers on too tight.

Amber crouched forward ever so slightly, angling her blunt sword in front of her. It was a mere pre-caution, using blunt blades. "Are you ready?"

He smiled mockingly, inviting her forward. "Ready when you are."

She darted forward, sword out. He inwardly rolled his eyes. How typical. Honestly, he had expected more of her. This would be quick.

Now expecting an easy victory, Edmund drew his sword up, ready to block her. Then, she feigned exaggeratedly to the left. He frowned again. She was making her movements far too obvious. How could she ever expect to win a fight in this manner? Edmund quickly flipped his sword right, expecting her to turn right too.

But what he didn't expect her to do was continue on left, and bring her sword down toward his hip with sudden ferocious speed. Caught by suprise, Edmund just about swung his sword around, blocking her in the nick of time. But she had already spun to the right, striking with her sword again. Edmund quickly brought his sword around again, catching her sword against his, quickly pushing it up to draw her back. They stood, face to face, with the swords between them, each exerting a fierce amount of pressure. A light sheen of sweat covered Edmunds forehead, whilst Amber looked annoyingly calm, having not broken a sweat. He pushed more force on the swords, trying to force her backwards. Taking advantage of this, Amber smirked wickedly and swiftly kicked out her foot, hitting him where the sun doesn't shine.

_Oh crap._

Edmund abruptly abandoned all pressure, dropping his sword and collapsing back onto his back. He clutched his crotch, whilst moaning in agony. _Oh shit shit shit shit shit_...

Amber walked up to him, smiling mischievously, swinging his fallen sword in her hand. "That was a bit of a stupid move, you idiot." She chuckled. "Do you surrender?"

Edmund looked up at her with a fierce scowl, while he cringed in pain. Was it_ too_ much to ask, that just for _one_ day, people could refrain from calling him an idiot? Feeling a rush of anger, he slowly got up, wincing slightly as he did so, feeling the pain slowly reside. He jerked out his arm in irritation, grabbing his sword and repositioning himself, glaring angrily at Amber. She simply smiled back.

He was losing. To a _girl_. A girl that had just fucking _kicked him in the balls_.

No more going easy on her.

Abruptly, Edmund lunged forward, catching Amber by suprise. He watched her eyebrows go up as he swung his sword up expertly, waiting for her sword to follow in response, to shield herself. When she did, he had his sword down in a matter of seconds, ducking under her outstretched sword, jabbing at her.

He couldn't let a girl get the better of him. He simply _couldn't_. This was his _manly honour_ at stake here.

Amber quickly regained her ground, pushing him back, trying to recover her space. Edmund struggled to keep the upper hand, and keep her at bay. The two began an intense, fierce battle, swords flying at breathtaking speed.

Sweating profusely with gritted teeth, Edmund gradually managed to push Amber back, inch by slow inch. Being a man probably gave him a slight advantage, being much larger than her and all that, and he was trying to make full use of that advantage. He kept going, until he had her pinned against the fence, still engaged in battle.

Finally, after an exhausting battle, Edmund managed to place his sword against the pale skin of her neck. Her own sword was out of sight.

"Do you surrender?" he asked breathlessly, his tone mocking. His chest was heaving, his breaths ragged and uneven from the exertion of the past few minutes.

Amber laughed shortly in response, her own breath coming in quick, short gasps. She glanced down pointedly.

He frowned in confusion, and followed her eyes, until he saw exactly what she was laughing at.

Upon seeing Amber's sword placed dangerously close to his manhood, Edmund sighed resignedly, and dropped his sword in defeat, not wanting to go there again. Amber followed suit, dropping her sword and collapsing down onto the grass, breathing heavily. He leaned back against the fence, grabbing a water jug, knocking it back like it was whiskey. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with much needed air. It felt as though his lungs were on fire.

"I suppose we could just call it a draw, then?" Edmund said to Amber, his tone hopeful.

She laughed easily, sitting up and grabbing a water jug, gulping it down. "Sure." She chuckled. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

He smiled, shaking his head to himself. She really was something else.

"Idiot." She smiled.

His smiled instantly disappeared, replaced with a fierce scowl.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six **

**Amber POV**

Over the next month, Amber completely lost herself amidst the Pevensie siblings.

She truly couldn't help herself. The whole family had been nothing but welcoming, and thoroughly entertaining.

Amber found herself genuinely taking a liking Queen Lucy. Despite initially disliking her interminable happiness, Amber had come to love exactly this about her. Lucy had a constant positive outlook on life, always smiling, always laughing. She took immense pleasure in showing Amber around the castle, presenting to her every miniscule nook and cranny, high and low. She brought Amber to the library, and together they read through books which told old stories of great warriors and royalty, and the fierce battles that they had fought in. She brought Amber to the castle's dressmaker, having her measured and fitted for new dresses which arrived practically every day. In the kitchens, Lucy made sure the chef knew all of Amber's likes and dislikes, cooking all of her dishes to absolute perfection. At home, it had been the same, but yet so _different_. Here, Amber felt she wasn't under pressure. It was free, it was fun.

Peter was no different. He was _always_ interested in conversing with her about The Lone Islands. Amber always had a made-up story that would please him. He questioned how it was ruled, what were the laws, how was the violence? He told her of how he planned to pay a visit there soon, and how he had planned to before, but something was always coming up, and preventing him. Wars, political affairs, managing his country - it was clear that Peter genuinely loved what he did, and took great pride the work he did. He included his family wholly in all of these matters, and the interest of his people. Peter even visited them regularly, the citizens of Cair Paravel. Amber was shocked by this, and found herself respecting Peter for his compassion with his people. Back home, her mother had managed all the affairs _her _way. She didn't visit them. The only times she saw them was when she was giving a public speech, or publicly persecuting the people, for discipline reasons. Amber marvelled at the incredible difference between the leaders.

Susan, had too suprised Amber. Amber had thought that after the incident that passed between them, there would be an angry rivalry between them. That was what Amber expected; it was the way it _would_ have been, if the same thing had happened between her and another person back home.

But no, Susan had graciously come forward to Amber to apologise _profusely_ for her 'absolutely unforgivably' behaviour in the training yard, deeming it as completely unacceptable, and extremely unlike her. Susan had even complimented Amber on her skills, whilst Amber had stood there in _shock_, trying to stop her jaw from hitting the ground. Of all things Amber had expected, an apology would have been the very last thing on the list, if it had been on the list at all...

All in all, Amber was, surprisingly, genuinely enjoying her stay at Cair Paravel. Even though she hated to admit it, she felt more at ease here. And having seen how utterly _different _life was, from the life that she had taken for granted at home was, Amber found that somewhere inside, she was beginning to question a lot of deep-rooted assumptions that her mother had pushed upon her from a young age.

And even though she didn't want to admit it yet, as it wasn't something Amber felt good about, she had begun to feel the_ teeniest_ bit of guilt whenever she innocently questioned Peter on the Narnian army, which he managed along with others. Amber managed to find out about the armies tactics, its numbers, its strengths, its weaknesses, all in an effort to get the information that her mother had requested.

And, another worrying thing that Amber couldn't ignore was the way she grew quite _nervous_, whenever Aetak reminded her of the issue of having yet to deal with Edmund. Amber couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable she felt, whenever the issue was raised. It most definetly was _not _a good thing, something she was painfully aware of.

Aetak reminded Amber of her task on a regular basis, much to Amber's slight dismay. She knew that Aetak only wanted the best for her. Aetak knew, just as well as Amber knew, that she would receive_ severe_ punishment if she failed to carry out what her mother had demanded of her.

But Amber had become rather good friends with the idiot. Unintentionally, but nevertheless, she had.

She hadn't _meant_ to, it had just...happened. Edmund's character enthralled her to no end, constantly catching her by suprise.

One thing that had suprised Amber about Edmund was...well, _everything_, really. She didn't even know where to start! Everything, and everyone, was so incredibly different from everything Amber been used to.

Her mother had always raised Amber to be passively detached in all circumstances, telling her that it was _required_ of royalty. She told her it showed power, authority, and that it was an act of maturity. She said that Amber was a woman of eighteen now, and she should act like it. Or, in other words, act just like her mother.

And Amber had _always _acted as she had been instructed. Back in the Northlands, that was the way _everyone _was. All the members of the royal circle were the same. They _had_ to be. Cold, indifferent, unfeeling...and not knowing any different, Amber had unwittingly assumed that that was just the way it was. She didn't think it could be _different_.

Yet it was i_ncredibly_ different here; more so than she could have _ever_ imagined. Edmund, for example, certainly _acted_ like a king, much like Amber expected. But with that said, Edmund only played the part of king when he _needed_ to.

Before his guests, his soldiers, his fellow members of royalty, or just about anyone that Edmund held some form of authority over, he maintained an air of indifferent interest. Yet, there was never _any_ question of his control. He was always reserved, polite, and could hold the attention of the entire room, including Amber, without _any_ difficulty. On the battlefield, he was fierce, terrifying, and utterly ferocious, always holding the upper hand. Edmund had this air of _power_ about him, which everyone obviously respected. Yet, unlike her mother, he didn't earn this reputation through fear and terror.

He fascinated Amber to no end. He was so unpredictable; amusing her incessantly. Some days, he would constantly roll his eyes, and keep the sarcastic comments coming, one after the other. They always seemed ready at the tip of his tongue. Other days, he would resemble Lucy, smiling and laughing widely, causing everyone around him to inevitably follow suit. No one seemed to be able to resist Edmund's charming and infectious smile. Amber learned that on his good days, Edmund was brighter than the Narnian sun. And on his rare bad days, when he had gotten little or no sleep the night before, he was darker than the Narnian night sky.

After their mock fight in the training yard, Amber and Edmund had befriended each other, becoming fast friends. Much like Lucy, Edmund took it upon himself to show Amber all of the beautiful features of the Narnian landscape. He brought her just about everywhere, showing her every little detail, always presenting something completely different to the last. Amber was astonished at the differences in his character, marvelling at the change from him when he was in command, and then him, when it was all just _normal_. She felt drawn to him, and found herself rather addicted to his company, enjoying it more than anyone else's company, in all of Cair Paravel. She found him to be riveting, so unlike herself. Under the parental guidance of her mother, Amber had never experienced 'fun' before, and Edmund seemed to be the very definition of it.

**XXX**

"_Amber, come into the water!" Edmund called._

_Amber shook her head defiantly. She was standing at the water's edge, on the beach just below the castle. Edmund had insisted on bringing her down here, convincing her that she'd love it. She hadn't known he'd insist on her entering the water also, otherwise, she never would have agreed._

"_Oh, come on! Little Miss Attitude can take on 'anyone'," he made quotation marks in the air, smirking at her. "But she's afraid of getting wet?" he mocked._

_Amber frowned irritably at him He seemed to find a lot of amusement in pushing her buttons. The idiot..._

_He was standing just about waste deep in the clear, blue, sparkling water, topless. The sun shone brightly on his pale skin, emphasising his exposed and rather defined chest. Not that Amber was looking or anything. She quickly averted her eyes to the golden sand, digging her feet in._

"_I'll ruin my dress." She said pathetically._

_He laughed, shaking his head. His wet hair hung in strands around his deep brown eyes, which were alight with laughter. Amber quickly looked away again, shaking her head. _

"_Lucy has plenty more where they came from, I'm sure."_

_She scowled, kicking at the sand with her feet. She'd never seen sand before. Back home, it had always just been ice._

"_I'll...catch a cold." She offered._

_Edmund rolled his eyes, looking impatient. "Amber, the waters warm. You'll be fine."_

_Amber looked up in suprise upon hearing this. _

_The water was warm? _

_Her face thoughtful, Amber crouched down, leaning forward to tentatively run her fingers through the blue water. _

_He was right!_

_It was warm! Amber's mouth opened as she out her other hand in the water, revelling at the warmth of it. The water back home in the Northlands had always been ice cold to touch and chilling to the bone. So much so that if an amputation ever needed to be carried out, one could just dip the required body part into the lake, and within a few hours, it would fall off. Easy._

_Amber continued playing with the water, enjoying the feel of it, her face alight wonder. That was, until she suddenly received a spray of water to her face. _

_She shrieked, instantly standing up, while wiping her wet face with her sleeve. She glared at Edmund, who was still standing in the water, clearly fighting back a laugh._

"_Whoops." He said innocently, stifling a laugh at her incredulous expression._

_Amber tugged up the skirts of her dress, kicking off her shoes. Without hesitation, she dashed straight into the warm water, chasing after a laughing Edmund with cries of "you idiot!"_

**XXX**

Amber had grown to know Edmund quite well; his likes, dislikes, and so on. She also knew that being called an idiot irritated him _extremely_, much to her delight.

Somehow, he seemed to bring out a different side of Amber, as he presented life in a different light. Amber couldn't remember when she had actually _genuinely_ laughed at something back at home. Yet here, in the company of Edmund, he had her constantly laughing and smiling at nothing in particular.

**XXX**

"_You don't know what hide and seek is?" Edmund exclaimed in disbelief. "And you think I'm an idiot?" _

"_No, I know you're an idiot." Amber smiled, and then her face took on a confused expression again "And no, what is hide and seek?" she asked curiously. It sounded ridiculous, whatever it was._

_Edmund looked at her sceptically, not really believing her. "It's a game. One counts, the other hides. Then you try to find the person whose hiding." He looked at her with intrigue, frowning in confusion."You've really never heard of it before?" He said incredulously. _

_Amber shook her head. "No. Never." She felt her interest rise. She had never played any games as a child, spending her days training endlessly, in hope of winning her mother's attention. It never seemed to work though. Yet this had only pushed Amber to work harder, but to no avail._

_All of this was pointing out to Amber all that she had missed in her childhood._

"_Well...do you want to...play?" Edmund sounded uncertain, his voice bearing laughter. His eyebrows were raised, with a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth, his eyes alight with amusement._

_Ambers face broke out in a smile, and she pulled Edmund into a brief hug, smiling excitedly. Letting go, she dashed off quickly to find a hiding space, leaving Edmund behind her shaking his head in wonder, whilst laughing softly._

**XXX**

Smiling slightly to herself at the memories, Amber tugged a comb through her long, defiant hair. Here in Narnia, under the influence of the constant sun, she could have sworn it had a lighter tinge to it. And she was pretty sure that she was getting a tan too. Along with plenty of _freckles_.

Amber was startled from her thoughts, upon hearing Aetak enter the room through the window. Turning to see her, Amber smiled widely, jumping up from her seat to greet her friend.

"Aetak!" she exclaimed, crouching down to share an awkward hug.

Aetak looked at her in suppressed suprise.

_Hugs? _

"It's like I haven't seen you in years!" she laughed freely. Aetak felt a sense of shock, at the sound of Amber's laugh. This person was so unlike the usual cool, reserved Amber.

And they had only been here a mere _month._

She masked her suprise though, watching Amber carefully.

"Wherever have you been?" Amber asked curiously, returning to her stool, and resuming pulling a comb through her uncooperative hair.

"The Forbidden Forest." Aetak responded carefully. "Did you know that there is a whole other world of talking animals outside the Northland?" Aetak said, her deep, throaty voice sounding indifferent, as if she couldn't really care less.

Amber smiled; ignoring Aetak's apparent lack of interest. "Yes, actually!" she exclaimed. "You know, there are quite a lot of them in the castle. Lucy introduced me to the faun, Mr. Tumnus just yesterday! You have to meet him, Aetak, he's simply lovely. And Ed's horse, Philip, can talk too, you know! Last week I..."

Amber continued brushing her hair, seeming to be talking away to herself. Aetak began to feel rather worried, as suspicions began to rise within her.

As much as Aetak wanted Amber to be happy, she simply couldn't let this happen. There was too much at stake, and she knew and understood how _badly_ Jadis needed this. She knew how much she was depending on Amber, who was oblivious to the amount of pressure she was under. Aetak knew that Amber would thank her for this in the long run, if they made it through this. She needed to put Amber's feelings aside for now however. It was for her own good.

"And what of your task, Amber?" she questioned, cutting across her rambling.

Amber paused abruptly, turning slowly to look at Aetak with guarded eyes.

"It's all under control. I've managed to get a lot of information from Peter about the Narnian army. You know, its size, its standards, its techniques-"

"And what of King Edmund?"

Amber visibly stiffened. She turned back to her mirror, steadily avoiding Aetak's eyes, and returned to brushing her hair, rather robotically.

"Like I said. It's all under control."

"Good." Aetak said carefully. "Keep it that way."

Amber nodded slowly, her eyes worried, and thoughtful. Aetak could practically see the wheels turning in her head as she contemplated deeply.

Amber's good mood had vanished, all her laughing and smiling gone. Her face was heavy now, thoughtful, with a frown. She remained like that for some time, before; finally, an unhappy, resigned look flashed across her face. It disappeared quickly though, and they lapsed into an uncomfortable silence.

Then Amber stood silently and made for the door. An unreadable expression was on her face, her mouth set in a thin line.

Aetak stood too, not wanting to leave things the way they were. "Amber, where are you going?"

Amber turned back to face Aetak. Her face was open now, and she looked slightly panicked, maybe even a little scared. Aetak felt her earlier apprehension return. She had to remind herself though; it was for her own good. She was doing it for Amber.

Amber took a deep breath. "Taking care of King Edmund." A faint smile flickered across her face, before the panicked look returned. She turned and left, without another word.

Aetak stared at the door after she left; the image of Amber's panicked face remaining in her mind. She had never seen the usually composed Amber that way before, ever.

And in truth, it frightened her, a lot.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**Amber POV**

Making her way reluctantly down Cair Paravel's grand staircase, Amber double-checked that she had her dagger handy, just under her skirts. She felt her stride falter a bit, feeling a little sick at the thought of driving her dagger into Edmund's chest.

_And then feel the blood gushing out from his open chest, which had been sparkling on that day he brought her to the beach. And watch his deep, dark eyes that had been sparkling that day they played hide and seek turn glassy and lifeless, see his body become stiff and cold..._

In truth, Amber hadn't exactly forgotten about her task. She _couldn't_ forget about it. It was _always _at the back of her mind, an annoying little reminder, so brutally honest. It was like this little voice, constantly whispering instructions.

_Kill Edmund_.

Before she had gotten to know him, _really_ gotten to know him, Amber had been anticipating his death. She had been almost e_xcited_ to kill him. In doing so, she would win her mother's affections, which she so desperately craved. And, she would also earn the respect of her people.

It was simply the way Amber had been raised, hurting people without _any_ thought or consideration toward their feelings. Up until she had met Edmund, she had considered that_ normal_.

And she hadn't known Edmund, or had _any_ connections to him of any sort, so the idea of killing him hadn't really bothered her. She had done it plenty of times before, no problem. And the fact that this was a personal favour, for her _mother_ of all people, made it all the more important. There was no one Amber wanted to please more than her mother.

But after getting to know Edmund, Amber was anticipating her task with a sense of dread, rather than excitement. And she knew that wasn't good. She didn't even know how, or why, or when she had let herself get _so _godamn close to him. She cursed herself for it now. Look at what she had she had gotten herself into!

Aetak's reminder had been almost been like a slap in the face. What on _earth _would her mother think if she found out that Amber was having trouble with something as simple as _this_? The mere thought of it made Amber shudder.

_I can do this. I_ _have to do this_.

_I will do this._

"Amber!"

She turned at the sound of her name, to see the cause of all her troubles, walking down the corridor to her. She swallowed forcefully.

"Edmund, I was looking for you." She couldn't manage to force a smile.

"Same. Well, no, actually, I was looking for you, not me, technically speaking. Sorry. " He laughed softly, running his hand through his unruly hair.

Amber felt a smile spread across her face. She honestly couldn't help herself. His laugh was infectious, as she had pointed out to herself many times before.

"So, do you want to go for a walk?" he motioned invitingly toward the open door. "It's pretty warm out?"

Amber nodded in agreement, and they both started toward the door. Her insides twisted uncomfortably, a dreadful feeling settling there. He walked alongside her casually, his arms swinging freely by his side. He was whistling lowly, oblivious to the fact that Amber was unhappily preparing herself to take his life.

**Edmund POV**

Edmund stretched himself out on the soft grass, sighing in contentment, soaking up the warm Narnian sun. Amber was spread out beside him, arms behind her head, unusually quiet today. Her eyes were closed, and her face was thoughtful, with her eyebrows pointing down in a slight frown.

Edmund smiled to himself, remembering how when she had first arrived at Cair Paravel, Amber had intensely disliked the warm sun. And as far as he knew, she still did.

"It's too_ hot._" She had said, in a disgruntled tone, shielding herself with her arms, squinting in the sunlight. Edmund had laughed, questioning her unusual dislike of the _sun_, of all things. Apparently she wasn't used to it, not having a lot of it back home.

Edmund laughed a lot in Amber's company. It was impossible not to. She was incredibly amusing, and he valued her company _highly_. He had adopted a sort of..._fondness_ for Amber. She was utterly unique. Entirely different from all the other girls he's met. She was an absolute lady, with an air of grace about her, but behind all that, she could kick-ass on the training field, and was still one-up on Susan on the matter of archery...the list went on.

He felt intrigued by her, too. He simply couldn't imagine someone not having heard of hide and seek. Although Amber never spoke of it, and he never asked her about it, he guessed that she had had a rather dismal childhood, seeming to have only had that leopard, Aetak, as a companion.

The matter of Aetak brought a sudden thought to Edmund. He sat up, looking at Amber, propping himself up on his elbows.

"Amber?" he asked, his voice curious. "Where is Aetak from?"

She remained silent for a moment, seemingly contemplating.

"My father bought her for me from a trade market." She said eventually.

Edmund frowned, thinking over this for a moment.

"So she must have been imported, by pirate's maybe?"

Amber shrugged, not looking at him, her eyes still closed.

Edmund lay back down, crossing his arms under his head. "I've seen other leopards of her type, you know. They're in the Northlands." He said, almost to himself.

Amber sat up suddenly, opening her eyes. She looked down at him with a sharp frown on her face. "You've been there?"

Edmund felt a shiver run through him at the memory. "Once." He said shortly.

"Really?" Amber pushed. "When was this?"

"Years ago."

"Why did you go there?" she questioned curiously.

"I had my reasons." Edmund grimaced.

"War?" Amber suggested innocently.

Edmund sighed. "You could say that."

Amber looked faintly irritated. Edmund cursed her child-like curiosity.

"So, you don't rule the Northlands?" she said passively, her tone innocent.

He shook his head, wishing she'd just drop the subject already.

"Who does?"

Edmund sat up again, groaning inwardly. "We don't know. Some successor of the White Witch-"

"Who's that?"

Edmund shivered again, despite the warmth. All it took was one reminder. He wished Amber would drop it.

"She was the former queen of the Northlands." He said simply.

An unreadable emotion flashed across Amber's face. "And you are-_were_...rivals?" she questioned.

"Well...something of the sort."

"Care to elaborate?"

He paused, looking down at the grass in silence.

It had happened many, _many_ years ago, but he still felt an almost unbearable burden of guilt. He could still remember absolutely _everything_. The wardrobe, the godamn Turkish delight, the promises, the lies, the vast amount of people he had let down, including his own _family_.

He shook his head angrily, trying to get rid of the thoughts from his head, trying to wash the sick taste of Turkish delight from his mouth.

"Ed?"

"_No_. I don't want to elaborate." He snapped angrily, laying back down, closing the subject.

An awkward silence remained.

Realising just how unreasonably harsh he had been, Edmund was about to apologise for his rudeness, when he felt Amber's hand wrap around his own. She gave it a reassuring squeeze. Edmund felt a shoot of warmth run through him at the contact.

"Ed?"

He ignored her. This subject was delicate. It killed him.

"It helps to tell someone, you know."

She'd hate him. She'd never speak to him again.

"And I won't judge you for it, if thats what you're worried about. I promise."

He opened his eyes, looking at her carefully. There was no trace of dishonesty anywhere. She genuinely meant it. He sighed heavily.

"It's not a...happy story, if that's what you're looking for. I did something...terrible."

She shook her head. "I want to know."

He sighed again, sitting up, his hand still enclosed in hers.

"I was twelve, so it was around seven years ago I suppose." He spoke slowly, reluctantly. "I had just arrived in Narnia for the first time, and I met _her_. The White witch." he shivered again, at the mere mention of her.

"Back then, Peter, Susan and Lucy and I didn't get on that well. Typical brother sister thing I suppose, but worse, in a way. I was a selfish prick." He chuckled drily. "So when the White Witch told me she could make me king, and offered me rooms full to the brim of Turkish delight, if I brought my brother and sisters to her, I agreed." He shook his head angrily at himself. _What was wrong with me? Why the hell did I do it? _He always wondered this, even all these years later. He had been stupid, so bloody _stupid_.

"I didn't bring them to her. God, I think I would've killed myself if I had. At the time, however, it was all just _greed_. I brought them to Narnia and then left quietly, at the first chance I got. I wanted bloody Turkish delight _that bad_, I abandoned my own family." Here he shook his head again, with such a dark look that Amber shivered.

"She was furious, of course. I hadn't exactly obeyed her orders. She locked me up in her dungeons, with chains and everything. I didn't exactly mind. Felt I deserved it." He broke off, his voice breaking. Amber ran her thumb over his hand reassuringly, encouraging him on.

When he spoke again, he sounded choked up. "You know Mr. Tumnus? He was in there too, in the dungeon. Because of _me_. Even though he'd helped Lucy to keep her safe, I'd betrayed him, along with hundreds of other Narnian's who were trying to free themselves from The White Witches rule." Edmund said miserably. "I can't even look at Tumnus now. He hates me. And I can't blame him, really." Edmund had long ago lost count of the amount of times he'd apologised to Mr. Tumnus. Lucy had constantly told him that he bore Edmund no hard feelings, but Edmund felt otherwise.

"They had so many plans, so many preparations put in place, that they had spent years readying and preparing. And I just kept blowing them, all for bloody _Turkish delight_." He spat angrily, feeling completely and utterly pathetic. "I almost got my own family _killed_. That's how bloody selfish I was." He looked down, expecting Amber to rip her hand from his at any moment, and walk away from him in disgust. "In the end, Aslan sent soldiers to rescue me. And they all welcomed me back, like the prodigal son or something. They shouldn't have bothered. They should have left me there, to die. That's what I deserved."

He paused, taking in a deep breath. "And then she came back for me. Claimed I was her prisoner, that they had no right to take me. And Aslan _sacrificed_ himself for me. He let her kill _him_, instead of taking me." He broke off again, shaking his head in disbelief. "To this day, I don't know why he did it. He was the ruler of Narnia; everyone looked up to him, respected him, and loved him. I was a stupid, pathetic kid, who had betrayed Narnia for chocolate, and had then come crawling back.

I guess he knew what he was doing, though. He came back, rose from the dead or something. I never asked him, but it was something to do with the ancient law. He was a bit late though. She'd already got to me. I'd broken her staff, trying to save Peter. She put her sword straight through me. Luckily Lucy has this potion that saves you, no matter what the circumstance. And then Aslan came along, and killed her."

Edmund stopped, taking a deep breath, finally looking up at Amber, who looked shocked, to say the least.

"Well, that's it." He said, shrugging, throwing his free hand up. "No hero's recount or some amazing story." He said bitterly. "Just me being a stupid _idiot_. I'm sorry."

Instantly, Amber planted her hands firmly on his shoulders. She shook him slightly as she looked him in the eye.

"No, _no_, stop it. You're being ridiculous! You were just a kid, Ed. Just a _kid_. Any child in your position would have done the same. Heck, even I would have!" she exclaimed.

Edmund shook his head slowly. "I betrayed the whole of Narnia. That's unforgivable." He said resignedly.

Amber shook her head angrily, looking at him intensely. "I don't think_ any_ less of you for it. And everyone I'm met here in Cair Paravel looks up to you. They don't think any less of you for what you did either. Like said, you were just a kid! And it _is_ forgivable. Everyone has already forgiven you, Ed. I think you're so brave for having the balls to return and apologise after everything, and so do they." Amber said fiercely. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Please, please, Ed, stop beating yourself up about this. It's too late to change anything."

He shook his head passively, lying back down and closing his eyes. "I just wish I could change everything. I wish I could take it all back." He whispered miserably.

Amber felt at loss, sitting there, watching him helplessly.

_Say something._

She wanted to comfort him so badly. She wanted take the pain away, but she had no idea what to do with _emotions_ and _feelings._ She had been raised _against_ this very kind of stuff. She had _never_ been in a situation like this before.

"Ed, I...I'm sorry."

_That's the best you've got? _

"Forget it. I don't want to talk about it anymore." He said simply, not moving.

_Does he want a distraction? I think I can manage that..._

"Do you want to play hide and seek?" she asked delicately, tentatively.

He remained still for a minute, before he slowly opened his eyes. He stared wordlessly at her, before slowly clambering to his feet.

Once standing, he reached out a hand and helped Amber up, standing in front of her. He faced her for a moment, his eyes thoughtful. He had a sad smile on his face as he slowly lifted a stray strand of her hair, and placed behind her ear. Amber felt her stomach flutter slightly as he looked at her.

"Thanks, Ambs." He said softly.

He laughed then, as if shaking off the misery and placing a mask over the previous unkempt emotions.

"So, who's counting?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

**JADIS POV**

Jadis sat alone in her office that night, contemplating deeply.

She had received no word whatsoever from Amber, and it had been a good while – nearly an entire _month_. There was no word from Aetak either, who was supposed to be keeping her updated on the situation on a regular basis. Her spies had proven to be no help either, only managing to provide her with the uncertain, yet still reassuring news, that Amber was well and alive.

The only problem was that, according to her spy's findings, King Edmund was also well and alive. And that was _not_ supposed to be the case. A month now, and nothing seemed to be happening.

Of course, she could just tell herself that Amber was merely being careful, cautiously taking her time and planning things to perfection. It was what was expected of her. After all, that was the way she had been raised.

But Jadis couldn't help but grow rather anxious, what with these suspicions arousing in the back of her mind, worrying if maybe that wasn't the case at all. These were what Jadis classified as the _bad_ thoughts. The bad thoughts that made you unsure and uncertain, causing you to doubt yourself. If this had been _any_ other situation, Jadis would have been fully confident in Amber's abilities, and her capability.

But in this _particular_ situation, the prophesy loomed like a dark, menacing cloud, just waiting to rain down on everything. Those niggling feelings of worry and uncertainty were playing on her mind now. Was she stupid, for being so_ incredibly_ stubborn, and assuming that Amber would have the strength to undermine such events that were set in stone?

Jadis was now seriously beginning to doubt herself, which she _hated_. Maybe the reason she hadn't received any word from anyone was because of the damn prophesy. Was it acting a barrier, for Amber? Was _that _what was wrong?

Finally, she heard the long awaited knock on her door. "Enter." Instantly, all worry disappeared from her face without as much as a trace. Her expression became cold, indifferent.

The door swung open and Goren walked in. He crossed the room to stand before her desk, and bowed respectfully.

"Your highness."

Jadis waved her hand impatiently. "Yes, go on." She snapped.

Goren sighed reluctantly. "Nothing." He looked dissapointed to be the bearer of the bad news. Fearful, too.

Jadis didn't let her mask slip, despite the turbulence she felt inside. "Nothing?" she questioned, a desperate edge to her voice.

Goren shook his head slowly, his expression apologetic.

There was silence for a minute, before Jadis nodded slowly, desolately. "Very well. You're dismissed."

Goren nodded, bowed and left. She waited until the door clicked shut before groaning aloud in frustration. How could there be _nothing_? What was Amber _playing_ at?

_Just give her time. That's all she needs._

_I hope._

**Amber POV**

Later that night, Amber lay in bed, staring vaguely lat the ceiling. She found herself unable to sleep, what with her mind still reeling from Edmund's earlier confession.

He had been so unbelievably angry at himself, so incredibly ashamed. Amber was stunned upon seeing how badly it had affected Edmund, how the heavy burden of guilt he bore had stayed with him _all_ these years, the load never lessening in the slightest.

Amber could truly understand why Edmund had acted the way he had, all those years ago. Earlier, when she had told him that in his position, she would have done the exact same, she had been telling the truth.

Her mother was a powerful and downright _frightening_ figure. It was near impossible not to sway to her incredible force, which Amber had unfortunately experienced as a child, more than once. There was no question of _anything_ with her mother. If it was demanded, it was done. Simple. Unfortunately for Amber, she had been a somewhat defiant child, and had spent much of her time being reprimanded by her mother for various 'infractions' - disobeying orders, not doing well in training, not getting the best marks possible in her private classes...Her punishments had varied. Sometimes she was sent to the dungeon. That was one of the easier punishments, compared to some of the others.

Amber now knew that she had got off lightly, as a child. Servants in the castle and other rebellious citizens in the town were publicly punished for whatever offence they had committed. In the town's wooden stadium, in which all the battle tournaments were held, her mother had regularly slotted in public punishment periods. They also served as a warning to others, that this is what happened when you defied the Queen, and broke the rules. Offenders were whipped, mauled by bears, tortured by dragging knives across their body, carving the Northland's crest on them. Amber had always been brought to these occasions, told that the experience would make her stronger, and teach her a lesson. During the entire ordeal, Amber would be struggling to hold back bile. However, fear of her mother helped her keep a relatively straight face, and keep her breakfast down.

It most definetly was an unforgettable experience. By the end of the 'performance', everyone in attendance would have learned that it was a dangerous and consequential feat to oppose her mother.

If anything, it instilled a sense of fear in Amber, causing her to be rather apprehensive in the presence of her mother. As a child, Amber had never had much of her mother's company. She had always being away on buisness, or fighting some war or other. But whenever she _was_ there, Amber had always been more than eager to please her, desperate for her affection, which she never received. She still felt that way to this day, even though it irritated her, that she repeatedly fell for her mother's pretences. Upon finishing her punishment in the dungeon or elsewhere, Amber always had to go to her mother's office. On her way there, she would be cursing her mother inside her head, filled with a passionate loathing for her. She would walk into her mother's office, her head held high, determined not to let her mother break her this time.

It _never_ worked though.

Her mother would give her a stiff hug, apologising, and insist that she did this only for Amber's benefit, to make her stronger. She would convince Amber that it was necessary, that it prepared her for everything she would face.

_And I always fall for it._

In Amber's opinion, those moments were moments to be cherished. What other parental affection did she receive? Amber knew absolutely nothing of her father, only remembered brief details. He had left when she was four. Sometimes she could recall a deep woodsy smell, and brown eyes. But her memories were blurred, incomplete. She could hardly remember him. As far as she was concerned, she didn't have a father.

Some nights, Amber would stay awake well into the night, desperately wishing that her father was here. She wondered what life would be like if he suddenly arrived one day and saved her. He would take her far, far away from her cold-hearted, uncaring, heartless excuse for a mother.

But when her mother released her from her punishment, she always managed to brainwash Amber into thinking that she had brought it on herself, that she deserved what she had got, and that she had left her mother no choice in the matter.

Amber despised that side of her mother, the side that lulled people into a false sense of security. Her mother lied blatantly through her teeth, earning people's trust, and then stabbing them in the back once she used them to their full potential, in whatever purpose she wanted. For crying out loud, she had killed the very people who had brought her back to life, because she thought they had taken too long, and she didn't want to owe anyone any favours!

It seemed Edmund had been tricked in just the same way. She had lured him into her happy bubble of lies, to trap his family. It was completely understandable, how he had fallen to her persuasiveness, especially at the easily influential age of twelve. She didn't blame him for it one little bit. Even Amber herself still yearned for her mother's love, willing to do anything to prove herself worthy of it. She knew it was ridiculous, but she couldn't help it. Her childhood had been nothing if not terrible, considering the horrible memories she had. She sighed sadly at those memories.

"Still not asleep?" Aetak's quiet voice came from somewhere in the darkness.

"No. Can't." She responded shortly. Sitting up, she reached over to her bedside table and fumbled for the matches. Finding one, she set it alight and lit a candle. She squinted for a moment, her eyes adjusting to the life, before turning to Aetak, who was lying on the rug beside her bed.

"Aetak, did you know about Edmund?" she asked.

Aetak frowned in confusion, indicating her ignorance.

"About what happened between him and my mother?" Amber prompted.

Aetak's face dawned in understanding. "Ah, that. He told you?"

Amber nodded, frowning.

Aetak sighed, raising an eyebrow. "I'm assuming he's still alive, simply because you sympathized with him?"

Amber nodded robotically. She wasn't getting into _that_ now. Personally, she couldn't understand why she couldn't just do it. What was holding her back? It was baffling her to no end.

"How come you never told me?" she questioned, changing the subject quickly.

Aetak paused.

"I didn't think it was of _particular_ importance, that you needed to know. If I _had _thought it was important, I would have informed you of it. But besides, what difference does it make, knowing? Isn't it easier to know less about him, so you can just get your task over and done with?" Aetak asked, watching her reaction carefully.

Amber considered this. Was _that _what the problem was? Was she was too acquainted with Edmund now? Aetak was right, in a way. Knowing about him and her mother shouldn't make a difference, but it _did_. Amber felt closer to Edmund, in a way.

She groaned inwardly. She was far too close to Edmund now, that much was clear. This made it _much_ harder to kill him, as he seemed to trust her so wholly.

But she _couldn't _let her mother down. She was damned if she was going to let that woman lock her away for another week in a cold, hard cell, and tell her it was 'for her own good'. For god's sake, she'd been _trained_ to do this stuff. She'd done this before, countless times, and hadn't given it a second thought.

_But_ _Edmund is different._

Amber shook her head, as if she could shake the unwanted thoughts away. Aetak watched Amber's internal struggle with interest.

"Is there anything else I should know about Ed?" Amber said, trying to distract herself.

Aetak raised an eyebrow. "Ed?" she questioned, her eyes disapproving.

Amber felt her cheeks tinge red again. _Godammit, why do I keep blushing?_ She waved her hand dismissively in Aetak's direction. Aetak smiled slightly, although her smile was sad, pained. She shook her head.

"Not that _I_ know of. I've just heard the usual. People talk about Edmund's legendary reputation on and off the battlefield, they defend him for his actions all those years ago, they admire him for his compassion with his people, and the ladies...well, the ladies never shut up about him." Aetak rolled her eyes, but waited cautiously for Amber's reaction.

Amber frowned, feeling a sting of jealousy at the thought of Edmund with other women. This thought sent her whirling into _another _confusing internal battle. She couldn't be...jealous? No. How could she possibly be_ jealous_? That would mean she would have to_ like_ him, in a..._romantic_ sort of way.

_I don't like him._

Well, maybe just a _tiny_ bit.

Oh God.

That was it. That was _it._

She did _not_ like him. She didn't, she couldn't, and she wouldn't. The quicker she dealt with him, and got out of here, the _better_.

"Night, Aetak." She said abruptly, blowing out the candle, and settling down to asleep, not wanting to think about anything anymore. She sighed in the darkness, not able to see the knowing expression on Aetak's face.

"Night, Amber."

**Edmund POV**

Across the hall, Edmund woke with a start, a light sheen of sweat on his face.

Breathing heavily, he slipped out of bed and quickly crossed his room over to his window. He shoved it open, letting the cold night air cool him down.

He tried desperately to forget her voice. He tried to push aside all the images, the memories, and the fear. He tried to forget about them, get them out of his head.

Edmund could never shake the potency of the last image, though. It always remained in his minds eyes, haunting him, taunting him.

There were hundreds upon hundreds of rotten, mangled corpses, all lying atop each other on the battlefield. Blood ran all over their bodies, pouring from deep gashes that were embedded in their body. All of their glassy eyes were wide open, some rolled back in their head, each and every pair staring at him in accusation.

Sometimes, if the dream was _particularly_ bad, Peter, Susan and Lucy would be somewhere in the pile too. Lucy would be lying across Susan, who would in turn lie across Peter. They were all ripped apart, their insides coming outside.

But it was the expression in their eyes that killed him. They didn't look at him with accusation, or anger, or anything of the sort. No, each of them looked so incredibly and utterly _betrayed_ that it nearly broke Edmund. He let out a strangled sob at the mere thought of it.

He remembered Amber's word's from earlier. "_It's too late to change anything." _He had been told the same thing by so many people, so many times. But it was so hard to let go of a past that still haunted him every night.

He shivered in the cool air. He sighed sadly, closing the window and climbing back into bed.

_Too late to change anything. Too late._


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

**Amber POV**

Sitting at the breakfast table the next morning, Amber couldn't help but notice that Edmund looked an absolute _wreck_. It wasn't hard to tell that, like her, he had had little or no sleep last night. Amber could tell, from his pale, drawn face, his bloodshot eyes, and the telltale bags seemingly carved under his eyes. But typical Edmund carried on like normal, like nothing was wrong. Amber admired him for that.

The only bad thing was that, seeing as Edmund hadn't had his full eight hours sleep, he was going to have one of his 'off days'. Those days were _never_ good days to be in his company.

At the moment, Lucy and Susan were busy, immersing themselves in planning a 'welcome home' ball, for someone called Caspian, whoever_ that_ was. They were scribbling crazily on a sheet of paper, whilst gulping down bites of food occasionally. Every so often, one of them would reprimand the other, and thick lines would be scribbled over a line that was disapproved of. Edmund and Peter occasionally threw their thoughts in here and there, disagreeing on some points, agreeing on others, and chastising them for ides that weren't even _possible_. This caused defiant arguments from the opposition.

Amber felt decidedly left out, which was something she particularly hated.

"If you don't mind me asking," she cut in as politely as she could. "Who _is_ Caspian?"

All heads turned to look at Amber, as if suddenly remembering she was there. They all looked rather apologetic, but Lucy especially so.

"Oh, Amber, I'm so sorry! I keep forgetting how little you know about Narnia! Please forgive our rudeness."

Peter chuckled lightly, while scoffing down slice after slice of toast. "We all forget. Sorry, Amber. Caspian is one of our closest friends, Susan's beau-"here he paused to wink at Susan, who blushed in response, smiling widely. "-and not to mention, the King of Narnia!"

Amber frowned at this.

_Three Kings?_ It was getting rather ridiculous now. Didn't they have enough already? She understood that Peter and Susan were High King and Queen, and that Edmund and Lucy came right after them. But even _that _was _more_ than enough.

"I know what you're thinking." Susan said, glancing up from her sheet of paper to smile briefly at Amber. "But you could say that he has an even _higher_ position than us. It's hard to explain." She went back to writing, Lucy joining her.

How can you get _higher _than _High_ King? This was just absurd.

"He was originally heir to the Telmarine throne. He was then appointed King of Narnia, after he helped Narnia defeat the Telmarines, years ago." Peter explained, reading her confused expression.

Amber's frown deepened. "So you appointed someone...into a higher position than yourself? Isn't that a bit...politically dangerous?" she struggled for the right words, trying to find an alternative to '_Isn't that just...downright stupid?'_

Peter shook his head. "No, no. I don't take care of all the appointing. Aslan does."

Now Amber was _really_ confused. What sort of a bloody system was this? "Who's Aslan?"

Once again, they all stopped what they were doing. Everyone stared at her in astonishment, their eyes wide, mouths open.

"You don't know who_ Aslan_ is?" Lucy breathed, amazed.

Amber shook her head dumbly.

"He's the..._official _ruler of Narnia." Peter said, giving Lucy a look.

"There are _more_ rulers?" Amber said incredulously.

Peter was beginning to look rather pained.

"Well, yes. Put it this way. Aslan rules us _all,_ then there's Caspian, then me, and so and so forth." He tried to explain.

Amber nodded slowly, inwardly still wondering why the hell there was so _many_ of them. Back home, her mother was queen, and Amber was her successor. It was that simple. However, here in Narnia, they seemed to appoint Kings and Queen's like they were going out of fashion, or something.

Amber was beginning to regret ever asking in the first place. All she had wanted to know was who the chap was.

"Sorry, Amber." Peter said, obviously knowing that she still didn't have the faintest idea about what they were on about. "It is rather confusing, isn't it? I'll show you the Royal family tree, and then maybe you might be able to understand it a bit better."

"Not today." Susan cut in. "We need to organise food for the ball. We're going fishing."

Amber nearly choked on her food.

_They were going fishing? _

_Didn't they have people to do that for_ _them? _

"We need and extravagant amount of food, as most of Narnia is going to be invited." Susan continued. "Besides, you know men and food." She rolled her eyes.

Amber couldn't help but agree with her on that one, as she watched Edmund take his sixth slice of toast. "And fish is a necessary addition to the menu anyway, as some people don't eat meat. It's a nice day out, and there's no harm in going out and going involved." Susan continued.

Oh, for crying out loud. Weren't fishermen _paid_ to fish? Wasn't that what they do? Why did they need _help_?

Lucy scrunched up her nose. "I'd rather not." Amber couldn't help but heartily agree.

Susan looked at Peter and Edmund, who both nodded in agreement, unable to speak, seeing as their mouths were stuffed with food. Susan shook her head in disgust before looking at Amber questioningly.

"Amber? Would you like to join us?" she asked.

_Ugh. She must be absolutely mad if she thinks I'm going fishing for bloody smelly fish._

But then, Amber's mind saw a sudden opportunity. She remembered her conversation with Aetak last night, and the unwilling decision she had made to get this over and done with.

"Sure." She said reluctantly, trying to put down the sudden unease that rose within her.

**XXX**

"And where are you off to?" Aetak questioned, as Amber stormed around her room, muttering a wide range of profanities under her breath. As she cursed every living thing under the sun, she pulled on warm, woolly clothes and tied her hair back, all the while with a look upon her face that could _kill._

"To catch wet, slimy, disgusting, stinking _fish,_ for some stupid king I don't even _know."_ She snapped in response. She couldn't help her bad mood. Lack of sleep didn't help, and the idea of going fishing didn't quite appeal to her either.

"Sounds lovely." Aetak said, stifling a laugh. Amber threw her a dirty look. Yes, just _lovely_. She just _loved_ the idea of sticking a dagger in Edmund, abandoning him in the sea, and leaving him there to die. Who wouldn't want to do that?

_I don't want to do that._

Amber couldn't make sense of it, but she had some sort of _aversion_ to harming Edmund. Not wanting to consider any other options, she hastily put it down to knowing him far too well at this stage.

But what could she do? There were severe consequences if she didn't do this. _Severe _consequences.

Ready to go, she double-checked that her dagger was hidden beneath her skirts. Sadly, it was. She sighed, looking at herself in the mirror.

"You've changed." Aetak said softly, from behind her.

Amber frowned.

Aetak was right to a certain extent, she supposed. Outwardly, her pale skin had a light glow to it, what with the near-constant cover of sun here. Her hair looked slightly lighter in places, the dark colour seeming to take on a lighter tone. She even had a splattering of freckles on her cheeks now. Although, Amber couldn't quite make up her mind on whether she was happy about that or not.

But otherwise, Amber felt that she was the same as she had always been. She still had her thin, lean figure, and despite the minuscule tan she _thought_ she had, she was still far paler than most. Her eyes were still a deep, dark brown. Her feet were still too big, her nails still refused to grow, and her hair was still abnormally, unmanageably curly.

But inside, Amber had changed. She had somehow become a somewhat more _compassionate_ person, and found herself more aware of the fact that her actions had effects on others. She seemed to be developing an almost _human _side that was capable of emotion and feeling; the exact opposite of what her mother had raised her to be. She could smile now, and laugh freely, not having to keep a straight, unemotional, indifferent face all the time. She felt sort of..._liberated._

Right now though, looking at herself in the mirror, Amber seemed to look more like her old self. Her face was its usual pale self, with dark, tired circles under her eyes, and a miserable expression written upon her face. Just like normal. It seemed to remind Amber of whom she_ really_ was, what she was here for.

"I'm still me." She said resignedly to Aetak, sounding unhappy about that.

Aetak remained silent, simply staring at Amber with an unreadable expression on her face. Finally, she spoke up, her tone unreadable.

"Well, you'd better be going then, hadn't you? Catch your fish."

Amber took a deep breath, quenching her unwanted, gloomy thoughts. They wouldn't help now.

"You're right. Catch fish. I'm going." She threw a grateful look Aetak's way and left, trying to leave her thoughts behind her.

**Aetak POV**

Aetak stood in the shade of the trees, half-hidden, waiting.

After seeing how this whole situation was beginning to affect Amber, Aetak had made up her mind. There was no question of the prophesy anymore. It was happening. It was happening right before her very eyes.

But Aetak was hoping that maybe _one_ particular detail could be deferred. Under no circumstance _whatsoever_, was she going to let _anyone_ harm Amber.

Finally, two figures appeared quietly from the fringes of the forest, shaking Aetak from her thoughts. They approached her warily, carefully showing the crests that were embedded on their wrists, as proof that they were indeed Goren's spies. They slipped under the cover of the trees, standing a few yards away from Aetak.

"Aetak." They greeted quietly.

Aetak merely nodded in response, indicating they should continue.

"Her majesty requests an update urgently, particularly on her majesty, Amber." One said, speaking in a low voice, even though Aetak was pretty sure there was no one in earshot. "Her majesty is beginning to get impatient, not knowing anything about the situation." He looked at her beseechingly, obviously needing some bit of information to bring back, or else his head would be on the line. Literally.

"Amber's task is going as planned." Aetak replied. Sure, she wasn't exactly certain on that, but she would rather not tell them that.

"It's been an entire _month_, though. Her majesty has spoken of time constraints. Amber doesn't have forever." One whispered. His eyes conveyed his worry.

"Amber is merely being thorough, as she has been thought to." Aetak snapped in response. "If she makes so much as one wrong move, her life, and the majority of your army's lives, will be the price to pay for a mistake that was caused by _your _impatience"

Considering this, they both nodded slowly, glancing unsurely toward each other. They still looked doubtful. Aetak sighed.

"I reassure you, Amber is doing just fine. She is gaining more and more information every _day,_ on the Narnian army. Size, strategies, techniques, just as required." That much Aetak knew for definite. "As for the other issue, you have to understand that it will take _time_. King Edmund is not _stupid_." She said delicately. She had to choose her words carefully. She had to protect Amber from the wrath of her mother, which could be quite scary, putting it simply.

The two spies glanced at each other, and nodded decisively. "Very well then." They sighed. "Same place next week?" One questioned.

Aetak nodded. "Reassure her highness that _everything_ is under control." She warned.

"Of course." One replied, turning to leave. "Thank you, Aetak. Until next time." He nodded at her, as did the other, and then disappeared into the trees.

Once she was sure they had gone, Aetak let a worried sigh escape her.

She knew that Jadis would be getting nervous. That was expected. She worried more about Amber more than anyone thought, especially so since the news of the prophesy.

But what could Aetak do?

She simply didn't know.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

**Amber POV**

Amber stood at the harbour, waiting for Edmund to show up. She watched vaguely as hoards of boats headed out to sea, in all directions, for fish. She wrinkled her nose in disgust.

_Ugh. I don't even like fish._

Edmund suddenly appeared beside her, holding two oars. Up close, he looked even worse. The circles under his eyes looked like they had been there forever, as though they had been carved into his face with a knife. And his face was almost as pale as _hers_, which was saying something. She frowned worriedly, hoping he was alright.

"You're coming with me?" he enquired.

Amber nodded in response. Edmund began walking down the pier, motioning for her to follow him. They walked in silence, until he eventually came to a stop before...a _dinghy_?

"What?" Amber shrieked, upon seeing it.

Edmund hopped down into the tiny vessel with ease, despite the dinghy swinging dangerously from side to side. He looked back up at her, confusion on his face. "What's wrong?" he asked, frowning.

Amber fumbled with her words. "I...well... it's _tiny_!" she exclaimed, her voice panicked.

Edmund sighed wearily. He looking away, and began sorting through the ropes, obviously too tired to argue with her.

"Fine. Go with Peter, then." He replied shortly.

Amber felt...slightly hurt. Did he not want her to go with him?

That thought of that brought on an overwhelming feeling of rejection, which crushed her inside. She suddenly felt incredibly small.

"I don't want to go with Peter." She huffed.

"Stay at home."

"I don't _want _to." She retorted. Why on earth was he being so bloody well _difficult_?

"Well, go find _someone_ to go with you, who'll put up with your whining." He snapped angrily.

Whatever comeback that was on Amber's tongue was instantly forgotten. She stood there in shock, stunned into silence, unable to think of anything to say back.

_Man, he's mean when he's tired._

Edmund untied the last rope, ready to set off. He looked up at Amber expectantly.

"Well? What are you waiting around for? Peter will be leaving soon."

Amber felt her eyes water, and her vision became rather blurry. Oh God no.

She could feel the warm tears forming in her eyes, just waiting to pool out. She couldn't cry. She _couldn't cry._ She swallowed, blinking rapidly, refusing to let him see her cry just because he didn't want her to go in a boat with him.

"I said, I don't want to go with Peter." She said defiantly. Well, it was meant to be defiant, but it came out more like a plea.

"Well, find_ someone_ to go with." He said impatiently, fixing the oars into place.

Amber swallowed again. "I want to go with _you_." She whispered desperately. It almost sounded like a plea. It nearly was. She genuinely meant it. She didn't want to with Peter, or with anyone else, for that matter. She just wanted to go with_ him_.

That scared her.

"Well, then get in." He said passively. "We haven't all day."

Amber had never felt so small in all her life. She scowled toward Edmund. Not that he'd even notice, seeing as he wouldn't even look at her. Clearly, _someone_ had got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.

She carefully stepped down into the boat, gasping upon the feeling of it swaying madly beneath her. Her arms shot out and grabbed Edmund, clinging to him for dear life.

"Amber, what-"

"It's going to tip!" she squealed.

Edmund sighed, gently pushing her off him. "Bloody hell, Amber." He muttered, guiding her down to a seating position. He then turned and picked up the oars, positioning himself, and then began to row the dinghy out of the harbour. The dinghy rocked with his every move, and Amber gripped the sides of the boat, absolutely terrified.

Edmund gathered up a steady speed, pushing, pulling the oars, his strong muscles showing. It carried on like this for most of the journey, him putting all his strength into rowing, whilst Amber spent all her strength gripping the sides of the dinghy.

She found herself becoming extremely worried. _Did I do something? Is he mad at me?_ She was too scared of what his reaction might be, if she asked. He was so...indifferent today. And he had a rather unpredictable temper. She didn't want to be on the receiving end of his bad mood. Although, it seemed that she already was.

After about an hour of rowing, and an hour of thinking deeply, Amber had decided it was either A, lack of sleep, B, lack of food, or C, her little 'performance' on the pier had pissed him off. She hoped it wasn't C. She couldn't bear him to be mad at her.

"Here's good." Edmund said suddenly, letting go of the oars.

Amber looked around her. It was all water, of course, but she could see a sort of mini-island nearby. It was pretty much just a small patch of stone, surrounded by water. Edmund noticed the direction she was looking in. "We can go ashore, if you want." He offered, obviously aware of how uncomfortable she was at present.

Amber hesitated. She wanted nothing more than to get off this bloody dinghy, but she didn't want to piss of Edmund any more than she already had.

"No...It's uh, it's ok. I'm good." She said unconvincingly.

Edmund looked at her dubiously, but let it go. Amber shot a longing glance at the tiny strip of land, before returning her attention to Edmund, who was assembling something. Whatever it was, it just looked like a long stick, with string on the end of it. He was attaching something to it now.

"What's that?" enquired Amber curiously.

Edmund put the stick behind his shoulder, and then flung it forward, out into the water. His motions shook the boat, and Amber gripped the sides with renewed ferocity.

"It's a fishing rod." He replied shortly.

"What does it do?" she persisted, trying to draw conversation from him.

"It catches fish." He said in a bored tone, fiddling with something on the stick.

Amber felt her temper rise. _Goddamn him. _"Well, I figured that much." She muttered,

"Then why did you ask?" He replied curtly.

Amber's mouth popped closed. Once again, he had stunned her into silence. She felt her unshed tears from earlier return. Unable to stop herself, Amber felt one solitary tear slide down her cheek.

Edmund lay the fishing rod down carefully, balancing it on the edge of the boat. He then lay back slightly, and closed his eyes.

He looked terrible, and so vulnerable.

_Vulnerable._

That was it. She had to do it now, before she lost her nerve. She just didn't have to think about it. If she didn't think about it, she wouldn't think about all the bad things.

With a shaking hand, she reluctantly took hold of her dagger, and inched forward, toward Edmund. She didn't have far to go, due to the ridiculously small size of the dinghy. She tried desperately to ignore the deepening feeling of foreboding that was growing in her chest.

"I'm sorry, Amber, for being such an idiot." Edmund said suddenly, in a soft, sad tone. His eyes were still closed. "I didn't get any sleep last night, and I'm wrecked. But I have no right to take it out on you. I'm sorry, Ambs." He sighed wearily, slowly opening his eyes. They widening in confusion, upon seeing how close Amber was.

Humiliated, Amber abruptly moved back. But she rocked the dinghy dangerously, causing her to fall forward atop Edmund, who was still lying back. She ended up on top of him, her hands splayed on his muscled chest, with his hands holding her waist securely, in an effort to steady her.

They remained like that, Amber too frightened to move lest she move the boat again, and Edmund unable to move due to Amber on top of him.

Edmund laughed suddenly, taking Amber by suprise. Smiling, he slowly moved one hand to the back of her neck. Her breath catching, Amber unintentionally returned the smile, happy to finally get some sort of response from him. He leaned forward slightly, closing his eyes as he did.

Amber completely lost her train of thought, her eyes closing as she leaned in towards him. She shivered upon feeling his warm breath tickle the tip of her nose. Her stomach fluttered, and tightened in eager anticipation.

Then suddenly, the wheel on the fishing rod began spinning crazily, whirling madly. Both their eyes snapped open, and Edmund made a grab for the rod. He managed to get a firm grip on it, but then it yanked him towards the dinghy's side. This abrupt movement unfortunately had a bad affect the dinghy's balance, causing it to rock so vigorously that it tipped over completely.

Amber's scream was muffled, as she was flung into the darkness. Once second the world was flying past her, and next thing she was immersed into a black pit of nothing. The sounds of her screaming were silenced as the seawater filling her mouth, her eyes, her ears, her nose, her nose, her lungs, everything.

It was so black. Wasn't water supposed to be blue? She couldn't see anything. She couldn't see Edmund. Where was he? Was he okay?

The water was everywhere; Amber couldn't breathe. It was preventing her. She could feel it flooding her body, washing through her, filling her up. It was so murky, so incredibly dark. She couldn't see where the surface was. Where was the light? Weren't you supposed to swim toward the light?

But how was she supposed to swim toward the light, if she couldn't see it? She flailed around frantically, her arms and legs thrashing through the heavy darkness, reaching for something, _anything_. Her body desperately fought, trying to find _something_ to hold on to, but failed.

Bit by bit, she could feel herself succumbing to the water. Her arms struggled, her legs just floated aimlessly, and she felt herself sinking slowly. Silently choking, guttering, she could felt herself drowning, disappearing into a sea of darkness.

_Edmund POV_

Edmund rubbed his eyes tiredly, yawning widely yet again.

"Ed, you really should get some sleep. I'll stay up and watch her." Lucy pleaded, yet again.

"No." He said simply, yet again. He wasn't leaving. Not until she woke up. Not until he knew for _certain_ that she was okay.

Lucy sighed resignedly, giving in to her stubborn brother, and quietly leaving the room.

Edmund yawned again, desperately trying to fight his growing fatigue, which had begun to take its toll on him awhile ago.

That much had been clear in his _unacceptable_ rudeness towards Amber earlier.

He frowned as he thought back over the eventful day. He had _barely _got Amber out of the water in time. With a strength he hadn't known he'd possessed, he rowed back to the harbour as fast as he humanely could. From there, he had taken her to the castle's infirmary, and demanded that she be treated_ immediately_. At the time, she had been unconcious, and hypothermia seemed to have set in, despite him wrapping his shirts around her, in a desperate attempt to give her _some_ sort of warmth.

And now she lay asleep in her bed, wrapped up securely in thick, woollen quilts. She was her usual pale self again, sleeping peacefully.

Sure, it was an improvement on her shivering, trembling body from earlier. Her teeth weren't chattering uncontrollably anymore, and the blue had faded from her lips. But he still wasn't going to budge, until he knew for _definite_ that she was ok.

His behaviour towards her earlier had been unforgivable. Although, he hoped she _would_ forgive him.

Even though it was a pathetic, unacceptable excuse, Edmund had had no sleep in forty eight hours. He was well-known around Cair Paravel to be an absolute _horror_ whenever he was derived from sleep. His temper decreased, his snappiness increased and his tongue became much sharper. Much_ too_ sharp.

_I made her cry._

He hadn't missed that lone tear escaping down her cheek. He had just chosen not to comment on it, knowing how she _hated_ to have her weaknesses highlighted. He had also been simply too stunned to see the regular tough cookie let down her guard, especially because of _him_, of all people.

Another yawn escaped him. He groaned loudly, rubbing his tired eyes.

Suddenly Amber shifted in bed. He looked toward her expectantly, feeling himself wake up slightly. She shifted again, sighing, and then turned his way. She groggily opened her eyes, still looking sleepy. Edmund leaned forward.

"Ambs, you ok?" he asked quietly, worry colouring his tone.

She frowned lightly, her eyes still half-closed. "I'm...cold." she whispered groggily.

Edmund stood abruptly. "I'll wake the nurse. I'll just be-"

"No, no, don't go." She whispered, shaking her head half-heartedly.

Edmund ran his hand through his unruly hair. "I _have_ to Ambs. You have to stay warm, strict orders."

She pulled back the covers a bit. "Get in."

Edmund frowned. "_What_?"

She sighed wearily, her voice thick with sleep. "You're tired, you need sleep. I'm cold, you'll keep me warm."

Edmund looked at her incredulously. The idea was extremely tempting, sharing a bed with Amber, and also getting some sleep.

But he _couldn't._ That just wasn't heard of.

"Amber, I _can't_ do that. I-"

"Please?" she implored, looking up at him with those big beautiful, brown eyes.

Edmund felt his resolve slacken.

_No. I can't._

She offered him a small smile.

_I shouldn't..._

But what harm could it do?

_Oh, to hell with it._

Sighing, Edmund kicked off his boots. Pulling the covers back, he climbed into the bed next to Amber.

He laid his head against the soft pillow in relief, so _incredibly _tired. He felt Amber move closer to him, and then she buried her head in his neck, sighing in contentment. Edmund felt a rush of happiness.

Remembering part of the reason he was here, he wrapped his arms around her, enveloping her in his warmth.

"Amber?" he whispered softly.

"Mmmm?" came the sleepy reply.

"I'm so sorry about earlier, about the way I-"he felt a cold hand cover his mouth, muffling his voice.

"It doesn't matter. Now, shut up and go to sleep." She said.

Bloody hell, her hand was cold. He removed it from his mouth, and wrapped his own hand around it, gently squeezing it.

He smiled softly to himself, feeling his tiredness overwhelm him. His eyelids felt so heavy.

Before he drifted off, he whispered a low "Night, Ambs". But, he got no reply. She was already asleep.

With a smile on his face, Edmund finally succumbed to his tiredness.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

**Amber POV**

As usual, Amber was woken up by the glaring Narnian sun that blared through her window.

On any other morning, Amber would have gotten up, drawn the curtains and gone back to bed.

But, this morning, it just wasn't worth it.

Amber couldn't think of a reason why she had asked Edmund to sleep in with her last night. She had wanted him to, certainly! And she most certainly didn't regret it now.

But it was wrong, most definetly. She was supposed to kill Edmund, not share a bed with him.

Edmund sighed lightly in his sleep, resting his chin on the top of Amber's head. Her head was still buried in his neck; she hadn't moved all night. It had been far too comfortable.

Amber inhaled deeply, drawing in a deep breath of his addictive scent. He smelled so..._clean_, and woodsy, and _familiar_. She looked up at him. He looked so peaceful when he was asleep, his chest rising and falling gently with every breath he took. And he was so _warm_. He was like her own little heater. She smiled at the thought.

She wiggled her toes carefully, making sure they were still there, all ten of them. Amber couldn't remember much from yesterday. She remembered the boa tipping, and then the darkness overwhelming her. Then, she had woken up in the infirmary, with Edmund at her bedside, looking rather like a zombie.

She desperately hoped Aetak wasn't here. She could just imagine her reaction, and the endless lectures that would follow. Amber hoped with all her heart that her door was firmly locked. If anyone walked in and found them like this, Amber doubted it would go down well. Edmund would get all the blame, despite the fact that she had asked him to sleep in with her.

_Why did I do that?_

Well, there was no question of it now. Amber couldn't argue with herself anymore. Especially not after _everything_ that had happened in the last twenty four hours. And how could she deny it, with the position she was in now?

She liked him.

Amber liked Edmund.

But what could she do?

She simply _had_ to complete her task, no matter what. Her mother's wrath constantly hovered over her, prompting her. It was almost like a little reminder as to what would happen to her, if she returned home with her task uncompleted.

But would it hurt? Would she miss Edmund after, or regret what she'd done? She had a feeling she might.

But what if...what if she _didn't_ kill him?

What if she just went along with what she was feeling, for once? What if she forgot about her mother, didn't go home, and stayed here?

What if things worked out between her and Edmund and they could stay together, forever?

A family, kids and all that jazz. Was it possible?

_As if mother would allow it. She'd kill him, and then kill me._

Who was she kidding? Did she really think her mother would just let her away with it? That she'd let her stay here, and live happily ever after? No. She would drag Amber home by the hair, if she had to. _Then_ she would kill her.

Besides, Amber was getting too far ahead of herself. As if it ever could be possible, her and Edmund. It would never happen.

Anyway, if _she_ didn't kill Edmund, than her mother would do it, with some punishment on the side for her. It was inevitable, really.

Suddenly, Edmund stirred in his sleep.

He sighed again, his eyes squinting slightly. After a minute, slowly, groggily, he opened his eyes. He yawned sleepily, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"Morning." Amber said cautiously, unsure of how to proceed.

Blinking in suprise, he looked down at her. He frowned lightly, looked confused. Then realisation dawned, as he remembered what had happened.

"Morning." He replied sleepily. He smiled suddenly, looking at Amber with obvious relief. "You're ok!"

Amber rolled her eyes, smiling wryly. "Yeah, I'm fine."

His smiled faded, worry taking over. "You nearly weren't though. I couldn't find you underwater! It was so dark..." he trailed off, shaking his head, before looking at her again. "And then you were unconcious, and you started turning _blue_, for crying out loud. _Blue_! Frightened the bloody _hell _out of me." He looked at her sternly. "Don't _ever_ scare me like that again."

Amber's eyebrows shot up and her eyes widened, her expression becoming incredulous. "It was _my_ fault that I nearly drowned? Excuse me, I-"

"Joke, Amber." Edmund cut across her, smiling. Then he frowned again, his brow furrowing. "But seriously, whether it's your fault or not, don't get yourself into a situation like that again. Potentially fatal, you know. Hypothermia can kill." He warned, half-serious, half-joking.

Amber grinned in response. "Okay, if you say so." She conceded, exasperated.

Edmund smirked at her, causing her heart to skip a beat. They simply looked at each other for a moment, before Edmund tore his gaze away to glance up at the clock on the wall, which read half seven.

Edmund looked back at her apologetically. "I better go." He sighed, sitting up and pulling back the covers

Amber wanted him to stay, but she knew that it was best that he did go. If anyone did walk in, they weren't in a very compromising situation.

Besides, she_ shouldn't_ want him to stay.

She nodded unhappily. "Okay, I'll see you later I guess." She muttered.

Edmund pulled on his shoes, turning back to face her, nodding. "I have to go and get the place ready for Caspian's hullabaloo." He rolled his eyes. He made his way back over to the bed, and pulled the covers back over Amber, who seemed amused. He tucked her up carefully, smiling.

"Now, stay nice and warm, okay? And try not to miss me_ too_ much." He teased.

Amber giggled. "Won't be hard."

Edmund laughed too, shaking his head at her. As their laughter faded, once again, they simply looked at each other. Edmund had a thoughtful expression on his face. Then, he leaned forward and placing a chaste kiss on her cheek.

Amber felt her breath catch and suddenly she had butterflies in her stomach, as her heart skipped a beat again. Edmund pulled away, smiling at her. "Bye." He said simply, heading for the door.

"Bye." Amber replied, grinning like an idiot.

The door closed behind him with a click, initiating the sudden feeling of loneliness.

Amber turned to the side, burying her head into his pillow, and breathing in his addictive smell. Minty, with hint of the woodsy outdoors, bringing on a sense of comfort. Trying not to miss him would be harder than she thought.

_Oh, godammit. I'm blushing again._

**Edmund POV**

Standing in the centre of the Great Hall later that morning, Edmund attempted to watch over the hundreds of servants, all hurriedly trying to set the place up for the highly anticipated event – Caspian's homecoming.

A messenger had come ahead of Caspian, just an hour ago, informing them that the journey was turning out to be quicker than they had expected. And so, instead of arriving tomorrow, he would be arriving this _evening._

This wouldn't be a problem, in the matter of the _guests_. Everyone had already been asked to arrive the night beforehand, as journey times always varied.

But Susan was in an absolute _state_. They had suddenly lost around twelve hours of preparation time, which to Susan, appeared to be the end of the world.

In the kitchens, resources were stretched to an absolute max. Even Susan and Lucy had gone in there, offering help that was badly needed. The schedule that Susan had organised was up in heap. Everything that was supposed to be ready at eight o clock _tomorrow_ evening suddenly had to in place by seven o clock, _tonight._

Susan wanted everything to be absolutely, totally and utterly _perfect_ for Caspian's return. She had always been a control freak, and that clearly wasn't changing now.

But Edmund knew that Susan just want some big hullabaloo just to showcase wealth, or to get everyone's attention. That wasn't the case at all.

He knew, as did everyone else, that Susan genuinely wanted to give Caspian the biggest, best welcome home ever, to show him how much she, and everyone else had missed him. And more importantly, to show how happy they were to have him back.

And Edmund also knew, as did everyone else, that Caspian would fully appreciate it. After months of extensive debating, and dealing with political dickheads, Caspian would enjoy something like this, especially because it was thrown by Susan.

Edmund marvelled at the honest, selfless love between Caspian and Susan. Everyone in Narnia agreed that they were the perfect match. They were known to be lethal in battle together, dangerously brilliant in dealing with politics and equally compassionate with their people. While Caspian was cool and collected, Susan got frazzled and frantic. Then when Caspian got hot-tempered, suddenly Susan was the voice of reason. Whenever something caught their attention, they would both glance at each other with that _look_ that couples had. Sometimes, over breakfast, or dinner, or meetings, Edmund would catch sight of them just gazing at each other with silly, soppy smiles. It was obvious they love each other, wholly and unconditionally.

Edmund has always wondered if _he_ would ever find that sort of true love. All of the women he had met weren't even worth considering. They had always been simpering daughters of lords, who were convinced that they should be together. They were attracted by Edmund's title, his wealth and the idea of becoming a queen. So, it had made Edmund rather pessimistic about the idea of love, ridiculing at the thought of your '_perfect match'_ or, '_the one'_.

But ever since he had met Amber, Edmund had begun to...wonder.

Amber took him as he was, even with all of the bad things. She didn't judge him, or befriend him for his status, or his reputation, or whatever. And lately, he had come to realise that he life would be a whole lot harder without her warm, bubbly smile, her infectious laugh...

Edmund had been worried that the 'near-kiss' incident on the boat may have affected their friendship, but it didn't seem to have. Even if _had_ changed anything, he wouldn't take it back.

Well, technically speaking, there was nothing to _take_ back, but if he had had just _two_ more seconds...

He hastily shook his head at himself, pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind. He returned his attention to the organization of the room, as he should have been doing all along, instead of daydreaming about Amber. Susan would have his head if a _single_ thing was out of place.

Trying to be somewhat productive, Edmund quickly set about helping to tie all the chair covers, with the Narnian crest embellished on the back, to the backs of hundreds of chairs.

Suddenly, the doors burst open. Lucy dashed in, a panicked look upon her face. "Ed! _Ed!_"

Edmund looked up in suprise, his eyes alarmed. "What's wrong?" He called, as Lucy ran over to him.

She came to a stop before him, trying to catch her breath.

"Another messenger...just came..." she gasped for breath, obviously having run a great distance, too fast.

Edmund rolled his eyes at her. He took her by the elbow and leaded her over to a nearby chair. Seating her, he poured her a glass of water from a nearby jug.

"Now, breathe, silly." He instructed, handing her the glass. She took it gratefully, drinking it hurriedly. How, she gulped it down too fast, and preceding to choke, and send a spray the water all over him.

Edmund sighed as he patted Lucy's back, whilst trying to wipe her spit from his face. Eventually, her coughs subsided enough so she could speak coherently.

"Oh, Ed, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, chucking a napkin toward him. "But another messenger just arrived. Caspian is only an _hour_ away!"

Edmund shook his head, wiping his face with the napkin. "Oh for crying out loud, Lucy, I thought it was something _serious_. You scared the hell out of me."

Lucy looked extremely offended at this. "It _is_ serious! We're not _ready_! Susan is about to have a heart attack!"

Edmund finished with the chair cover he was currently put on. "Lu, _relax_. We have _hours_ left. This room is nearly done. We still have to out to receive him, make speeches, and all that, which will take ages." He motioned to all the people working around him. "They'll finish everything while we're doing that."

"But-"

"Now, go and get ready, and tell Susan to get dressed too." He ordered. If they only had an hour, they better start getting ready now. _Girls_.

"But what if-"

"Nothing's going to go wrong." He reassured her.

"But maybe-"

"No." He said firmly, turning her and pushing her toward the door of the Great Hall. "Everything is under control. You wait and see. Make sure you have your speech ready."

"But-"

"You know your lack of faith in me and my capability is becoming rather insulting. Bye bye Lulu!" he said cheerily, shoving her out the door. He closed it firmly behind her, shaking his head.

"Your highness, where do you want these?" a young man asked from behind. He was holding strings upon strings of lights in his hands, looking at Edmund expectantly. Edmund ran his hand through his hair, trying to remember Susan's orders. "Uh, out on the balcony I think. Around the...banisters?" He made his way out onto the balcony, trying to direct the servant. Looking out over the city, Edmund saw that the streets leading up to the Castle were lined with people, all awaiting Caspian's return.

Come to think of it, he should probably go and get ready too. He wasn't a girl or anything, but still. Hair like his took _time_. It didn't just _happen_.

**Amber POV**

_It all looked so beautiful._

_Amber was sitting in a clearing, in a serene, tranquil forest. Somewhere in the distance, there was the sound of rushing water._

_She didn't know why she was here, or how she had got here, or where she was, but all that didn't matter to her. Amber remained motionless, taking in every little detail of her picturesque surroundings. She felt no need to move, taking in the peaceful surroundings. The trees stood close together, creating a leafy canopy over her, with rays of sunlight breaking through and lighting up the forest floor. She felt no worry, not knowing why she was here, what she was doing. It was all so quiet, and she wanted it to stay that way._

_Music sounded, far away in the distance. It was nothing but a faint sound, barely even detectable. A flute maybe, she thought vaguely. _

_It didn't affect the tranquil atmosphere in the slightest. Instead, it flowed in harmony with it. _

_And then gradually it came closer, and closer. But still, Amber didn't worry._

_And the music came closer, and closer. Louder, and louder._

_A woman suddenly appeared from the trees. She moved slowly, her steps slow, dance-like. Amber gasped aloud at her striking appearance, standing slowly so she could take in her striking appearance. _

_The woman had beautiful, long, fair blonde hair that trailed down her thin physique, flowing in beautiful, soft curls. She had stunning features, a pixie-like face with high cheekbones and captivating green eyes, which matched her elegant green dress, which flowed around her, trailing on the forest floor behind her. She was the source of the music, playing something like a mandolin._

_Amber felt herself enter an almost trance-like state, watching the beautiful woman in awe, fascination, admiration. _

_But Amber suddenly felt a growing sense of unease inside her as the woman continued with her music, still staring at Amber with her intense, green eyes. The few rays of sunlight had suddenly disappeared, and the forest was now much darker, the leaves blocking out all the light. The sound of the water rushing couldn't be heard anymore, leaving a menacing, heavy silence in its place. _

_The beautiful woman's music suddenly took on a darker, more sinister tone. Her smiling curved into a wicked smirk, her striking eyes still boring into Amber's. Amber wanted to get up, and run, run as far away from her as she possibly could, but she couldn't make herself move. Her body seemed to be frozen stiff._

_The woman stopped playing abruptly, dropping her mandolin to the ground. Her eyes never left Amber's. _

_The woman's flowing green dress wasn't flowing anymore; it was wrapping around her torso, clinging to her skin, becoming a part of her. Her arms began to disappear, sinking back into her body, and suddenly they were gone altogether. The long green skirt of her dress lost the textured look of clothing, and became solid, like a green tree trunk. Her face appeared to morph into nothing, as she threw her head back. Her nose widened, growing incredibly longer, with her smirk still dancing on the end. Her menacing green eyes morphed to nothing but slits, her eyebrows forming jagged v-like shapes above them. Her soft, beautiful skin hardened, turning crinkly and scaly, and taking on the same shade of green that the rest of her had become. Her mocking smirk became wider and wider, until it stretched right across her face, bearing jagged white teeth for Amber to see. _

_A voice screamed desperately, frantically, in Amber's head, warning her to run, to get away. But Amber still couldn't move. She could only watch in horrified, terrified confusion as everything unfolded before her._

_The woman...wasn't a woman anymore. _

_She now hovered a good few feet taller than she had been, in the form of a terrifying green serpent, staring at her with angry slits. _

_Amber shrank back in fear, still unable to tear her eyes away from...it._

"_I'm going to get you too." The thing hissed suddenly, her tongue flickering as she spoke. Her mouth pulled back in some form of a horrible smile, as she looked pointedly to her left with those huge, frightening eyes._

_Amber warily followed her gaze, terrified of taking her eyes away from the monster. _

_She saw a girl cowering against a nearby tree. _

_Amber forgot herself for a moment, as she found herself marvelling at the alikeness between herself and the girl that crouched against the tree, with wide, frightened eyes. She looked just like her, apart from her blonde hair and blue eye. And she looked like she was a few years older than her. _

_But Amber could see the black and blue bruises all down the side of her face. Her blonde hair hung limply down her thin frame. A dirty, mangy dress hung over her bony, emaciated body. Cuts and gashes covered her, all over face, down her arms. Amber winced slightly, just looking at her. Who was she?_

_Amber frowned lightly as she thought over it. For some reason, she felt a sense of recognition looking at the girl. But, she couldn't quite place a name on her._

"_I know what you're trying to do." The green thing said suddenly, snapping Amber back to attention. "You'll kill him, so you can save her."_

_Amber frowned in alarm, her head whipping back toward the...thing. _

_How did she know about this? _

_And what was she talking about? Amber wasn't killing Edmund so she could 'save' this girl that she didn't even know. _

_What was going on?_

"_But you won't be able to, because of the prophesy. Why are you even bothering? You're going to fail. " The green woman said with terrifying conviction, laughing with contempt._

_Amber scowled at the...thing, confusion momentarily hiding her fear. _

_What the hell was this prophesy? And why did everyone keep bringing it up? _

_Amber glanced toward the girl again, who was looking straight at her. She had a pleading look upon her terror-stricken face, her eyes looking desperate._

"_You'll never save Breanne." The monster said, her tone mocking. _

_Sudden recognition flooded through Amber's mind at the mention of the captive's name. Breanne. _

_She knew her, but how? The name rang a bell, for some reason. Why?_

"_You'll never save her." The monster repeated, her voice menacing this time. _

_She began to slide slowly toward Amber, her whole body sliding easily over the forest floor. _

_Amber stumbled on her feet, trying to take a step backwards, but not physically able to move a single muscle or joint correctly. As the monster approached her, gradually, she seemed to be slowly transforming back to her human state again. Her arms detached themselves from her body, her lower body split into two legs, and her hard, scaly skin became soft again, her green dress flowing around her. _

_Amber took another sluggish step backwards, her body not working properly, not following her commands. The monsters head grew smaller, and lovely, long blonde hair seemed to suddenly fall from her head. Her eyes retained their normal size, and her jagged teeth becoming losing their sharp points. _

_But still, even as the monster disappeared, the sinister presence remained behind. Amber's fear remained with her, as she tried desperately to take another step away from the monster. But it seemed as if her feet were rooted to the forest floor, like they were impossible to move. Why? Why couldn't she bloody well move?_

_The monster was a woman again now, striding toward her. She came to a stop before her, lowering herself so she was level with Amber, glaring directly into her eyes. She grabbed Amber's wrist with a cold, firm grip, holding her in her rough hand. Amber gasped at the hardness of her grip. Her head finally grasped the warnings being screamed in her head. Amber pulled away desperately, tugging on her grip. _

_But the woman's grip was tight, unbearably tight. She simply yanked Amber even closer to her, and grabbed hold of her other wrist. _

_Her smirk grew wider, exposing her sharp white teeth as a pained cry escaped Amber. Amber flinched at the mere sight of them, grimacing at the painful tightness of the grip the thing had on her. _

_The woman leaned closer to her, slowly placing her mouth right next to her ear, so close that Amber could feel her chilling breath on her neck. She shuddered in horror._

"_I'm going to get you too." The monster hissed, enunciating each word slowly, carefully, with a resounding threat. Abruptly, she dropped one of Amber's wrists. But before Amber could even sigh with relief, the woman raised her free hand and dug her fingers right into Amber's right arm. _

_Amber cried out in pain. Her fingers were like claws, or talons, digging into her skin. The woman got a good grip, before she slowly dragged her sharp claws down along Amber's arm. She left deep, red gashes in her wake, with blood quickly rising to the surface, and pouring out in rivets all along Amber's arm._

_Amber let out a scream of agony, clutching her am in anguish as the Green Lady dropped her wrist. She rose to her full height, laughing darkly. _

_Amber felt undiluted terror run through her, along with a rush of dizziness. Her body was throbbing, as blood pooled from her arm. The growing sense of panic inside her was making it hard to breathe. A sort of tingling was taking over her, making everything hazy, like she was trying to look through fogged glass. _

_Amber dropped down to her knees as a sense of numbness took over her. She bent over, gasping for breath as the pain in her arm grew worse. The rivets of blood running down her arms were quickly becoming thicker, a pool of red forming on the ground beneath her._

_The monster laughed from somewhere above her, her tone mocking. Amber managed to lift her head just enough to see her shoot her a glance of contempt, before stalking over to Breanne. The woman grabbed Breanne's arm roughly, yanking her to her feet. Breanne let out a heart-breaking cry as the monster's fingers closed around her arm with a fierce grip. Throwing Breanne over her shoulder like a sack, the monster turned back to Amber, her features twisted into a frightening smirk._

"_Remember, Amber. I'll get you too." She said; her tone haunting. With one last smile, she turned and began walking away, dissapearing through the trees, with a stricken looking Breanne strewn across her back. She stared back at Amber with desperate eyes, while Amber remained crippled on the forest floor, unable to move, the pool of blood around her growing every moment. The numbness descended on her, and Amber's mind could only focus on one thing._

"_I'll get you too."_

"_I'll get you too."_

"_I'll get you."  
_

Amber woke with a panicked scream, sitting up suddenly, with sweat running down her face.

She sat still for a minute, just staring at the wall, taking deep breaths.

_It was just a bad dream, just a bad dream._

Amber tried to reassure herself, but failed. Somehow, she couldn't shake off the feeling of fear. And she couldn't forget the feeling of recognition either.

_Breanne_. She _knew_ her, somehow. How did she know her? For some reason, she knew her face, her name.

Or maybe she was just being ridiculous. After all, it had just been a dream.

Amber sighed, trying to put the matter aside. Pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind, she climbed out of bed and walked to the window, still shaking slightly. She grimaced at the usual blinding rays of sun, looking out her window.

The courtyard looked busier than usual, with countless people scuttling around busily. Outside the castle walls, the streets were lined with people, all jammed in togther. Realisation dawned over Amber. King Caspian was returning today! She glanced at the clock, which read one in the afternoon. She must have fallen back asleep after Edmund had left.

A thud came from her door, and Aetak entered. Amber turned to face her, still in her nightwear, probably looking an absolute wreck.

"Are you only up?" Aetak asked, looking suprised.

Amber nodded silently, not trusting herself to speak just yet.

"Well, you better start getting yourself ready. Caspian is returning earlier than they expected, so we have to be down there in half an hour." Aetak motioned toward the window.

Amber nodded silently again, still unable to find her voice.

"Okay then." Aetak said slowly, obviously bewildered by Amber's muteness. "I'll leave you to it, then." She said expectantly, turning and leaving.

Amber remained where she was for a minute, unable to shake the images of the dream from her mind. No matter how hard she tried to forget, it remained in the back of her head.

She shook her head to herself and sighed. She made her way over to her wardrobe, with the intention of picking out an outfit for the occasion, trying to clear her mind. Reaching the wardrobe, she stretched out her arm to pull open the door.

And then she saw it.

Three long gashes, all running parallel to each other, trailing down her arm, with dried blood clumped around them.

"_I'll get you too."_

Amber felt the panic and fear flood through her again, consuming her like fire. A blood-curdling scream of terror escaped her, as she collapsed to the floor, writhing uncontrollably.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

**Edmund POV**

Edmund dashed madly through halls and corridors, ignoring Susan's furious yelling coming from somewhere behind him. Darting through and around suprised servants and passersby, he continued running until he finally reached the infirmary, and then he burst through the doors.

"Where is she?" he practically yelled.

"_Ssh_!" the nurse said furiously, motioning toward a nearby bed, by the window.

Amber lay in the bed, wrapped securely in the sheets, twitching nervously in her sleep. Aetak was sitting by her bedside, with an unreadable expression on her face.

"We had to knock her out with morphine." The nurse said quietly. "She was in hysterics when she regained consciousness, shrieking about some 'green monster that was coming to get her too.' It was unreal." The nurse shook her head in wonder.

Edmund slowly made his way over to Amber's bedside. Reaching it, he hesitantly took Amber's cold hand in his. He winced at the icy feel of it.

His eyes glanced over carefully. Her arm was bandaged all the way from her wrist right up to her elbow, hiding the mysterious scars that he'd only heard of.

"What happened?" he questioned worriedly, stroking her arm lightly.

The nurse shrugged, with a baffled look upon her face.

"That's the most confusing part." She frowned. "I just checked over Amber her last night, after what happened yesterday. The wounds weren't there." Her frown deepened. "And then, the next morning, she's found unconcious in her room, with _these_." She motioned toward the bandage wrapped around Amber's arm. "I just don't understand. She doesn't seem like the type to do it to herself. Officials have searched her room in the past hour, and have found no weapons of any sort accountable." The nurse glanced at Edmund. "They're putting in down as an attack."

Edmund shivered, a chill running down his spine. He looked down at Amber. She looked so _vulnerable._ Who would want to hurt her? The mere idea of anyone hurting her intentionally made him feel nauseous.

"It _can't_ have been an attack." Aetak said, from Amber's bedside. Her voice sounded like it was barely containing her anger. "I had just left her room, when I heard her scream. There wasn't sufficient time for anyone to enter the room, physically hurt her like this, and leave, without me seeing them." Aetak concluded.

"It just doesn't add up!" the nurse exclaimed, sounding extremely frustrated. She shook her head, pacing the room. "I've been doing my job for forty odd years now, and I've _never_ seen anything like this." She shook her head again. "I've never seen _anyone_ in such an overwrought, emotional state, but with no apparent _reason_." She shook her head again yet again, becoming more and more distressed by the second. "And now, there's also the potential threat of an assailant in Cair Paraval, at this very moment!" her voice was steadily increasing with panic.

"Have you any history of mental attacks?" Aetak said suddenly.

Both Edmund and the nurse looked toward Aetak, confusion on both their faces. "A _mental_ attack?" Edmund exclaimed, frowning.

Aetak nodded solemnly. "Someone from the outside who manages to enters the mind, and does what they wish. They can leave behind damage that can be felt both mentally and physically, and can leave evidence." She motioned toward Amber's bandaged arm. "Have you ever had anything like that?"

The nurse frowned in deep thought. "Well, I don't know if it was _that_..."

Aetak looked at the nurse intently. "What?"

The nurse's eyes looked vague as she thought back. "Actually, now that you mention it, we _did_ have an incident _quite _similar to this." She said slowly, her brow furrowing thoughtfully. "We didn't put it down as a mental attack at the time, but now, looking at it _that _way..."

"Who was the victim?" Aetak asked. She still had an unreadable expression on her face.

Edmund frowned. He always felt as if Aetak knew more than anyone else, like she was always two steps ahead of everyone.

"It was King Caspian, I think. Actually, if I remember correct, it was _extremely_ similar to this incident." The nurse said slowly, as the memories obviously became clearer.

Edmund grimaced, as he suddenly thought back to the memory. It wasn't particularly pleasant; he has tried to push the incident to the very back of his mind. That night had been unbelievably frightening. Caspian had always been so cool and collected, and to see him in the absolute _state_ that he had been in that night, had terrified Edmund. Susan had also been deeply affected, collapsing at the sight of the appalling condition Caspian had been in.

"What happened?" probed Aetak.

The nurse shook her head firmly. "I can't give release patients records to people that are not members of-"

"It's for Amber's good!" Aetak snapped angrily.

The nurse looked slightly alarmed at Aetak's outburst. She glanced questioningly at Edmund, who nodded without hesitation. Although Aetak was slightly mysterious to him, he knew that she had nothing but Amber's best interests at heart.

"Well, as I said, it was a similar incident to this." The nurse began slowly. "I remember, the day before, Caspian had been mock duelling with Peter. He got a bit of a nasty cut on his leg, and came to the infirmary. I checked him all over, just to make sure there was no other bodily harm." The nurse spoke slowly, as she recollected. "Then, the following morning, Susan found him unconcious in his room, with three slashes across his face, like those belonging to Amber." Here, she pointed at Amber's bandaged arm. And then, she frowned deeply, realization dawning on her face.

"And like Amber, all Caspian could talk about was 'the green lady, coming for him.'" Her eyes were confused. "Aetak, I do believe you're right. A mental attack is the only possibility! But how on earth are the two linked?" the nurse exclaimed, seemingly to herself.

"How are supposed to prevent this from happening again?" Edmund asked worriedly.

Both Aetak and the nurse said nothing. Edmund felt a sense of helplessness.

"You _can't_ prevent them?" he asked desperately.

The nurse shook her head. "Not that I know of." She said, sounding apologetic.

A heavy silence followed, in which Susan suddenly marched in, banging through the doors. She looked beyond furious.

"Edmund Pevensie, Caspian is going to be here _any _minute-"she broke off, catching sight of Amber. "Oh my lord, what _happened_?" she exclaimed, her fury vanishing, concern taking over, her eyes widening.

"Mental attack." Edmund replied quietly.

Susan's hand flew to her mouth in suprise. A horrified expression covered her face, as she obviously remembered Caspian's incident. "What-"

"The exact same as Caspian's." Edmund said gravely. That was explanatory enough. Susan didn't say anything in response, appearing to be speechless, stunned into silence.

Suddenly, from outside the windows, they could hear the crowds cheering suddenly became louder. Obviously, Caspian was home.

Susan instantly snapped to attention, masking her panic with a calm, collected face, although her eyes still look anxious. She looked toward the window, and back at Amber, clearly undecided.

The nurse took control, crossing the room to lightly shove Susan toward the door. On her way, she pulled Edmund up too, directing them toward the door. "Go, go. You both need to be down there. She'll be perfectly fine here, I assure you." She waved her hands at them, as if to shoo them away, not giving them a chance to protest. "There's no need to worry. The morphine will wear off in a few hours, and she'll be right as rain. And, if she's well enough, maybe she can attend the party. It might help to take her mind off everything." She said briskly. And then she closed the door firmly in the faces, leaving Amber in peace.

**Amber POV**

_I'll get you._

That ominous voice kept ringing through her head, and the fear it sparked never receded, in the slightest. The three little words frightened her more each time, holding even more potency with each repeat.

She couldn't shake the feeling of terror that was coursing through her, nor could she shake the feeling of the woman's scaly hand grabbing hold of her wrist, and brutally slashing her arm. She shivered again, her panic wreaking havoc inside her. She had never felt such fear, in her whole, entire life.

_I'll get you._

It wouldn't stop. Why wouldn't it _stop?_ The voice never seemed to tire, waiting until her fear subsided just a bit, before it would remind her yet again. Then the panic started fresh all over again. It began as an uncomfortable, painful knot in her stomach, which made her feel dizzy. Then it spread everywhere else, down to the tip of her toes.

She shook uncontrollably, as if the voice was consuming her, and she was drowning in a sea of trepidation.

_I'll get you._

She woke suddenly, sitting up. She gasped for her breath, gripping her bed sheets tightly, her knuckles white with the force of her grip. She could feel the sweat running down her face. The panic inside her withdrew into some small, hidden space, patiently waiting for the opportunity to get her again.

After a moment, she calmed down enough to take in her surroundings. She was alone, in a room she didn't recognise.

The room she was in felt far too small, too cramped, and too hot. She threw off the bedcovers, and gingerly made her way over to one of the windows, and pushed it open with great effort. She couldn't help but notice the thick white bandage that covered her arm. Trying to put down the fear that was sparking inside of her again at just a mere glance to her arm, she stuck her head out the window, relishing the cool air that washed over her.

Was she crazy? Everything was so inexplicable. She couldn't make sense of anything. She couldn't make sense of what had _happened_. What _had _happened?

All she knew was that she had had a nightmare. And in her nightmare, that lady had left three slices running down her arm.

And when Amber had woken, there they were on her arm, exactly identical to her nightmare.

_How could it be possible?_

It couldn't be put down as a coincidence.

But did that mean that, in some strange, incomprehensible way, her nightmare had been...real?

As in, that monster was..._real?_

That could only mean that the monster was _out_ there somewhere, plotting how to get Amber, just as she had promised.

That thought was ample enough reason for the panic to devour her again. She turned her back against the wall, sliding down to an awkward, seating position, burying her head in her knees, letting out a choked sob.

_This is crazy._

It _was_ crazy. But it simply couldn't be passed off as a coincidence. The nightmare had felt so real, and it had left _physical_ marks on her. Wasn't that was proof enough?

She had to get information. She _needed _information. As much as the whole unknown situation scared the hell out of her, Amber wasn't prepared to spend the rest of her days living in fear of this _monster_. Learning more about her would help her get to grips with the whole thing. Then she would figure out what to do from there.

_I'll get you._

**Jadis POV**

Jadis stood alone, in the middle of her castle's main courtyard. Her usual detached expression was replaced with an expression of worry, her brows furrowed into a frown, her mouth turned down.

She had just received word from the town gates that her spies had returned.

But only two of the ten men she had sent.

Last week, her nightmares had started again, reminding her of how close to the deadline she was coming. And more importantly, reminding her of how close she was to losing Breanne. Last night had been _especially_ bad.

All her hopes now lay with Amber. But she hadn't heard from her in _weeks_. _Another_ thing to worry about.

In desperation, Jadis had begun sending more and more spies, digging for information. But not one had returned. And now, she was told that two out the ten men that had been sent had returned, supposedly in quite a state.

She was shaken from her thoughts as Goren joined her by her side, breathless. "They're arriving now, your highness."

Right on cue, two men on horseback rushed through the gates, headed toward them. Upon looking closely at them, Jadis's mouth tightened.

The men at the castle gates had described them as being in 'quite a state', which looked to be an extreme understatement. The two men looked like they had _barely_ escaped a _massacre_.

Their armour was hanging off them, the metal filthy and dented, with dark blood splattered across its once shiny surface. Underneath that, their skin wasn't even visible, seeming to be hidden under a coat of thick blood that was still pouring from the deep slashes all over their body. The looks upon their faces were that of a madman, desperate, frantic. Their horses were in no better state, stumbling along at an uncontrollable rate, covered in a thick cover of dirty dry blood. Froth foamed at their mouth, and their eyes looked wild.

They stumbled their way across the courtyard, causing quite a scene. Everyone present stopped whatever they were doing to turn and look at them. Gradually, shock and horror dawned over their faces. And then, the whispers started.

They eventually came to a stop before Jadis, both the men and the horses fighting for their breath.

Jadis simply looked over them, her eyes hardening. After a moment, she spoke, her voice barely containing her anger.

"What happened?"

"Your highness." One spoke, looking terrified. "We took the normal route to Cair Paravel, through the Forbidden Forest, and then the same way on our return home. On our homebound journey, we came across all the former soldiers that had been sent. They all appeared to have been brutally murdered."

Jadis felt her hands clench into fists.

"And coming close to the edge of the Forbidden Forest," here, the man stopped, his voice dropping to a whisper. "_She_ attacked us."

Jadis's knuckles turned white with exertion.

"We barely got away. I don't know how we got away. I thought we were going to-

"Did you get to speak with Aetak?" Jadis cut across him, gritting her teeth in anger.

The man nodded, his face worried. "Things aren't well. Amber was mentally attacked by..._her_. She's in a bad state, in the castle's infirmary."

Jadis's breath caught momentarily.

If she had been angry before, she was incensed now. Her anger rose quickly, to an unstoppable rage. Her fists tightened even more, her knuckles feeling like they would pop out altogether, indicating the sheer force of her fury.

"Is that all?" she hissed, her face contorted with anger.

"Aetak discovered that Caspian had been similarly attacked, just last year." He said quickly. Obviously, he took note of her visible anger, and didn't want to be on the receiving end. In the condition he was in, he physically couldn't possibly take any more. "But I know nothing more of it."

Jadis nodded stiffly. Ignoring them, she turned on her heel and marching purposely back toward the castle doors.

Reaching them, she shoved them open aggressively. They crashed back against the walls, sending any servants nearby cowering against the walls, upon catching sight of her thunderous expression. She strode steadily through the corridors, making her way to her bedroom.

Upon entering, she slammed the door closed behind her; with such force that it shook the frame. Her bubbling rage reached exploding point inside, and she picked up the nearest object to her, a jug of water, and flung it toward the wall.

"What more do you want from me?" she screamed at nothing, as the jug smashed off the wall, and shattered into a million pieces, water spraying everywhere.

Hearing the green lady's mocking laugh inside her head only drove Jadis madder. She let out a strangled shriek, marching over to her desk and clearing off all of its contents with one sweep of her trembling arm. She ripped open one the drawers, pulling out whatever was inside and flinging it to one side carelessly, until she found what she was looking for.

Yanking out the dusty key, she strode over to the full-length mirror that was firmly attached to her wall. Taking a firm hold of it at the sides, she ripped it off the wall with just one tug, and flung it to one side. She ignoring the smashing sound it made, and the shards of glass that flew everywhere upon the mirror coming into contact with the floor.

With the mirror gone, Jadis's hidden cupboard was now bare for all to see. With trembling hands, Jadis inserted the key in the lock, wrenching it open.

All of her very _best_ armour was lined up along the shelves, all of her attire hanging from the rails. Without pause, she swiftly grabbed the items inside. She swapped her dress for a thicker one, which had protective plates attached to the inside. She strapped her leather gloves securely around her hands, tightening the weaponry belt that was hidden carefully beneath the dress of her skirts. She hastily shoved her dagger and sword into the assigned pockets, strapped her bow and arrows around her back and took hold of her spear in one hand.

She finally paused to take a deep breath, collecting herself. It took her a moment to compose herself, before she slowly opened he eyes, and looked at the empty cupboard before her.

"I am going to _rip _you apart when I find you." Jadis whispered menacingly, her tone dripping with icy venom. Her grip on her spear tightened considerably. "You're going to be godamn _sorry_ for all that you've taken from me."

Her mocking laugh was all she could hear in reply.


	13. Chapter 13

**Just for the record, I have absolutely nothing against vol au vants. I actually like them! But recently, I got a bad one. See, I have this fussy kinda fixation kind of thing. So you make lasagne at home, right? and it's done the way you like it. then you go out, and you order it, and it's just not the same. it's like that with vol au vants, methinks.**

**anyhow, REVIEW BUTTON IS JUST BELOW!**

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Amber POV**

Slowly, as the day began to draw to a close, the sky gradually turned from a pale washy blue to deep, striking violet. Scattered stars shone brightly as the moon rose to take the place of the departed sun.

Amber lay unaware in her bed, eyes closed. She lay motionless, resolutely closed off from absolutely everything.

_98,653..._

For the past god knows _how_ long, in a desperate effort to evade the endless panic, Amber had resorted to the method of counting to ten, in an attempt to somewhat calm herself.

Unfortunately, when she had got to ten, she hadn't felt any better, so she had just continued on counting to distract herself.

_98,654..._

Breathe in...And breathe out. And again. Amber carefully focused _all_ of her attention on inhaling, exhaling and counting. All the while, she didn't move in the slightest. She was scared that if she moved but an inch, the monster inside her would erupt yet again.

_98,655..._

The door suddenly clicked open, shaking Amber from her thoughts. She opened her eyes slowly, hesitantly, blinking rapidly as she tried to adjust to the sudden light.

She moved her head up an inch to see Edmund standing in the open doorway, looking warily in her direction. Retaining her focus on her newfound calm, Amber concentrated carefully on saying one word.

"Hello." She greeted him pleasantly, carefully. Just in case she blew her top off again.

Edmunds eyebrows rose slightly. Amber felt slightly irritated at his obvious lack of faith in her. What had he expected, a raving, frantic, psychopathic lunatic, with hysterics and the lot?

Well, granted, she had been like that _earlier_, but that was before she had counted to 98,656.

Edmund took a slow, uncertain step forward, closing the door quietly behind him.

"Good evening." He replied carefully.

Amber frowned. _Evening_? Was it that time? Did it really take _that_ long to count to 98,657?

"I just thought I'd stop by, see how you're doing." He said, by way of explanation. He crossed the room slowly, sliding into the seat beside her bed. "How are you?" he asked concernedly, his eyes glancing over her worriedly.

"Fine." Amber replied shortly. She wasn't thinking about _that_ particular matter at the present time. She had just spent about half the bloody day trying to forget about it.

_98,658..._

Edmund tentatively reached out and took hold of her bandaged arm, stroking it softly. "Does it still hurt?" he asked worriedly.

Amber shook her head once. She had discovered that lying absolutely still for hours on end brought on a feeling of numbness, much to her relief.

Edmund shook his head to himself, sighing. He let go of her hand and sank back into his chair, running a hand through his hair.

Amber frowned at him. "What is it?" she asked curiously.

Edmund made a face.

"Just can't believe how-"

"_Please_." Amber cut across him, both her tone and expression pleading. "I'd _much_ rather not talk about it. _Please_." _98,659..._

Edmund nodded understandingly. "Sorry." He said apologetically, lapsing into silence.

An awkward silence hung in the air, both unsure of what to say. Edmund simply sat there, staring at nothing with a worried, thoughtful expression. Amber played with the loose threads on her quilt, firmly ignoring her bandaged arm.

_98,660... _

"So are you coming tonight?" Edmund asked suddenly, his eyes flickering up from the floor to meet hers.

Amber frowned in confusion. "What?"

"You know, Caspian's homecoming ball. The nurse said you could go, if you felt up to it. Might help take your mind off things." He explained, smiling hopefully.

Amber considered this for a brief second, before nodding slowly. She _needed _to get out of here. If she spent anymore time locked up in this bloody room, counting endlessly, she would go absolutely _mad._

_98, 661..._

**Edmund POV**

Having left Amber in her room to get ready, Edmund went back down to the Great Hall to join in with the festivities.

Deciding to attend duty first, he took his place at the entrance doors, and formally greeted all the guests who entered. In between shaking all the hands of the seemingly _millions_ of people who had turned up, Edmund couldn't help but looking around and taking in his surroundings.

He had to admit, Susan's hard work had paid. Her snapping, yelling and the occasional slap across the back of his head if he was being particularly difficult, had probably helped somewhat. But this time, she had really outdone herself.

The vast room was filled with rows upon rows of tables; all angled to face the head table where the royal family would be seated for dinner. Hand-sewn runners ran down the centre of the tables, all bearing the unmistakeably Narnian crest. High, ornamental candles stood atop the tables, surrounded by neat arrangements of flowers from the castle gardens. In between all of them, platters of enticing food had been placed out, with as many different assortments as Susan could think of.

She had decorated the bare, wooden walls of the hall with huge, magnificent tapestries, each woven with intricate stories of victorious soldiers and knights. It seemed particularly fitting in this case, what with Caspian was returning home, after months of working to achieve peace in the south.

An area of space would be cleared in the middle of the hall after the meal, and it would serve as the dancefloor. Any other free space was occupied by beautiful, handcrafted pottery which held lavish plants that were specially grown in the Lone Islands and exported into Narnia for special occasions of any sort. To the left of the hall, the row of French doors were all pushed wide open, bringing welcome, fresh air into the crowded hall, and inviting people out to the balcony, where Susan had taken no less care in decorating.

Like the hall, it had lavish plants and candles dotted around in a random, yet somehow organised fashion. Hundreds of twinkling lights dangling on strings were weaved through the banisters, and draped across the balcony, creating a beautiful, magical effect.

Edmund smiled to himself, knowing how happy this would make Susan. She had excelled yet again, and once again, her ball would be the talk of Narnia for _months_, until she found herself no good reason to throw _another _ball.

Breaking away from the guests with an aching hand, Edmund made his way through the buzzing crowd, nodding his hello's here and there. He was required to pause and talk briefly with some guests, smiling through gritted teeth as he waited impatiently for them to shut up and finish.

_Yes, true, I haven't seen in you in quite some. Could we maybe keep it that way? Oh, you're paying a visit? Funny, I don't remember inviting you...Of course you can just invite yourself, that's perfectly fine. Why not? Actually, you know what? Why don't we share beds? Actually, no. Better idea; why don't you piss off?_

Eventually, after tearing himself away from a particularly irritating couple who were trying to convince him that Narnia should buy their grapes, Edmund spotted Peter conversing with one of the old generals, General Lenihan, who had just returned from the south along with Caspian. Heaving a sigh of relief, he quickly made his way over to them with his head down. Upon joining them, Peter gave him a knowing look, shaking his head pitifully.

"Were they trying to get you to invest in their grapes?"

Edmund rolled his eyes. "I told them I was allergic to grapes."

Peter laughed. "I told them to go shove them where the monkey shoved his nuts."

General Lenihan rolled his eyes, as Peter and Edmund broke out laughing uncontrollably, earning quite a few stares from around the room.

Fifteen minutes later, they were involved in a heated debate on whether or not violence was the key to ensuring that civil war didn't break out again in the south, when Peter winked knowingly at Edmund, and looked pointedly toward the door.

Edmund frowned in confusion, before following the direction of Peter's pointed glance.

_Oh._

_Bloody hell._

She looked..._stunning_. Magnificent, beautiful, exquisite...there were simply _no_ words to describe her. No words could ever do her justice.

Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun, with light, curly strands hanging down around her beautiful face. Her face was its usual pale self, making her big, beautiful brown eyes stand out even more. She had lightly outlined her eyes with black and grey, highlighting the hazel tints of her pupils, which glinted in the bright lighting. He could still see the dark circles under eyes, a reminder of last night's terrible incident, but it made her no less beautiful to him.

Her dress was a simple silvery grey, with long, flowing sleeves that covered her bandaged arm. It had a low neckline, which showed off her flawless, soft skin. Black lace trimmed the edges, and then pulled from the sides to cross over in a zig-zag pattern, creating a corset effect down to her waist. There, it tightened into a thick black lacy sash that wrapped around her small waist and hung down the back, along with the gentle folds of her silvery grey that flowed down the back of her.

Edmund inhaled deeply, and exhaled quickly, all in a rush. A knot of _something_ twisted in his stomach, almost like a feeling of desire. Just like him, the majority of the male population present had stopped and turned to take in her striking appearance rather appreciatively, with wolfish grins. Edmund felt a rush of anger at this, feeling slightly possessive. No one but _him_ should look at her. No one would appreciate her like he did. How _dare_ they look at her like that?

_Oh bloody hell. I shouldn't feel like that. That's not good._

She glanced around her nervously, obviously well out of her depth, and unsure of what the hell to do. She looked his way, catching his eye despite all the hundreds of people around them. Edmund smiled openly at her; she looked so adorably uncertain. She offered him an unsure smile, which he returned with a raised eyebrow.

Nodding a quick goodbye to General Lenihan, and ignoring Peter's knowing smirk, Edmund pushed his way forcefully through the crowd, heedless of anything but getting to Amber.

Reaching her, he paused, smirking at her. From behind him, he could hear the whispers starting up.

'_Who on earth is that?' 'I've never seen her before.' 'She's very pretty though, isn't she?' 'Do you think she's from around here?' _

'_Do you think King Edmund is courting her?' _

Edmund smiled at the thought. He winked at Amber, bowing formally. Out of an act of boldness, he gently took her hand in his, and placed a light kiss upon it. Her pale face tinged red in response, much to his amusement.

"Would you do me the ultimate honour of accompanying me this evening, madame?" he questioned, smiling in amusement at her embarrassed smile.

"It would be my pleasure." She replied, smiling faintly. She rolled her eyes as he put out his arm, but linked arms with him all the same.

And as they turned to face the on looking crowd, Edmund couldn't help but laugh outright at the faces of the many men who looked upon him with irritated jealousy.

_Suckers._

**Amber POV**

Amber walked through the crowd on Edmund's arm with her head down, taking in the wonderful sight of the floor. She didn't notice any of the dirty, envious looks she was receiving from most of the women present as she walked past. If she _had_ noticed them, she probably would have laughed her socks off at them. But tonight, she was in no party mood. She was merely here to forget about everything for awhile.

Reaching what seemed to be the main table in the hall; Edmund directed her toward a chair and pulled it out for her. He helped her into her seat, not sitting until she was seated. Amber smiled inwardly. He was always the perfect gentleman – in public, that was.

Gently taking his arm out from hers, Edmund instead intertwined his hand with hers and squeezed it reassuringly, as if he could sense her underlying tension. Amber glanced at him with a thankful smile on her face. She felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude toward him, and of course, how could she forget those stupid flutters in her stomach?

He always knew what was wrong with her, and he always knew how to make her feel better. He just _knew._

She reached for her glass of water, taking a deep, refreshing gulp. The taste of the water in her mouth brought back all the horrible memories of being trapped underwater, only just yesterday.

Could that have only been just _yesterday_?It seemed as if _weeks_ had passed. She swallowed the water quickly, not feeling quite so refreshed anymore. She put the glass back down straight away, not in any hurry to drink any more.

From somewhere in the centre of the crammed hall, a bell rang shrilly. Amber assumed it signified the beginning of the meal, as the crowds began dispersing, taking their seats. The lively chatter remained, flowing over the low music that played softly in the background.

Feeling a hand gently squeezing her arm, she looked up to see Susan looking down at her with a worried smile on her face. "Amber! I didn't think you'd make it tonight! How are you feeling?" she exclaimed, her voice full of concern.

_Oh. _

_She must have heard about my psychopathic episode. _

_Great. _

The whole point of this night was to put the whole thing out of her head. That just was not going to work if people kept bloody well _reminding _her of it.

She flashed a fake smile, ignoring the uncomfortable twist of her stomach. "I'm fine, thank you." She lied. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Edmund shaking his head meaningfully toward Susan with an annoyed expression. She nodded ever so slightly in response, and let go of Amber's arm, sliding into the seat next to her.

"Amber, I'm so happy you could come!" Susan gushed. "I would like you to meet Caspian."

Susan motioned to her left. Amber leaned forward slightly, looking around Susan to see a handsome young man seated next to her, smiling politely at her.

And when Amber _really_ looked at him, she practically had to hold up her jaw, to prevent it from dropping open.

He looks _exactly_ like her. Or, you could say _she_ looked exactly like _him_. It didn't really make a difference.

Their faces were simply like_ perfect_ replicas of each other. Absolutely_ identical_. It was almost like looking in a _mirror_, just like looking at herself.

There was the round, cat-like, hazel eyes. And the long, straight nose, and the thin upper lip, and the fuller lower lip. His hair was the exact same shade of brown as hers, hanging down to his jaw in waves.

The only one difference that she could manage to find was that while Amber was deathly pale, Caspian was tanned as hell.

Amber felt a strange sense of déjà vu looking at him.

Could she possibly know him? Had she ever met him before?

Last night's events suddenly rushed through her mind, reminding Amber of Breanne. She and Breanne had also looked uncannily alike, like she and Caspian did.

Could there be some sort of link, or connection, or something? Was she missing something here?

_What the hell is going on?_

Caspian was looking right back at her with confusion and suprise written all over his face. But he said nothing.

Then, as if remembering his manners, he masked his bewilderment, taking on an empty, polite expression. His eyes were still curious though. He took Amber's hand in his, shaking it firmly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, madame." He said politely, in a thick, deep accent that Amber struggled to understand.

She nodded slowly in response, still trying to process the unbelievable similarities between herself and him. "The pleasure is mine." She replied courteously, managing to fix a polite smile on her face.

Caspian was still staring at her, smiling faintly. Clearly, he was just as taken aback as she was, by their unbelievable similarities. Amber couldn't blame him. She felt every bit as shaken as he looked.

Suddenly, Edmunds hand gently tapped her shoulder, pulling her attention away from Caspian. She tore her eyes away from Caspian, unnerved at their uncanny resemblance of each other, and turned to look at Edmund. He smiled at her, motioning toward the servant that stood waiting before he. He held out a large plate of food, expectantly awaiting her choice of starters.

Embarrassed, Amber hastily pointed randomly at the tray. A plate was placed down in front of her, with..._something_ on it.

Holy _crap_, what _was_ this muck? It looked like a cross between a squished mushroom and a soggy cupcake, with grey looking liquid oozing from the centre. Amber wrinkled her nose in disgust as she stared at it, already deeply regretting her rather thoughtless decision.

Edmund looked at her with a raised eyebrow, sceptical. "You like vol au vants?"

Amber picked up her fork, and prodded the lump gingerly. "Is that what it's called?" she said in a disgusted tone, grimacing at the sight of the lumps floating in the grey liquid.

Edmund laughed softly at her, shaking his head in amusement. He began to dig into his own food, still smiling.

Amber glanced back toward Caspian, their weird alikeness still playing upon her mind. He was busy talking to Susan, but she could him sneaking curious glances her way every so often.

Sighing, she turned back to her sorry excuse for a starter. She scooped up a piece of the crap, balancing it carefully on her fork. It looked absolutely, positively _horrible_.

_Ugh._

Sighing yet again, she shoved the forkful in her mouth, chewing slowly and carefully. She could practically feel Edmund looking at her, waiting expectantly for her reaction. No, more likely waiting to laugh at her.

So for that reason, Amber turned to him and smiled brightly. "It's actually nice." She said pleasantly, through gritted teeth.

Edmund's eyebrows eyes went up again, his amused smirk not budging, still looking at her expectantly.

_Goddamm him._

Keeping the smile fixed on her face; Amber reluctantly swallowed, and slowly gathered another forkful.

"Yum." She said enthusiastically, looking at her fork.

Edmund smirked. "Well, aren't you going to eat it then?" he asked innocently.

She was ready to strangle someone. Preferably him.

"Of course I am." She replied, struggling to retain her pleasant smile. Reluctantly, she swallowed another mouthful, trying to ignore the sickly taste as it slid down her throat. Edmund snickered beside her.

Amber gritted her teeth. She was actually going to shove this crap right down his pants if he didn't bloody well stop that.

"Oh, Amber, do you like the vol au vants?" Susan chirped from beside her.

"It's absolutely _lovely_." Amber replied smoothly. _Yeah, right. I think I'm going to get sick._

Susan smiled brightly. "That's great! There's plenty more where they came from! I'll make sure to reserve a few for you!"

Edmund's guffawing laugher drowned out Amber's inward screaming.

**Just for the record, I have absolutely nothing against vol au vants. I actually like them! But recently, I got a bad one. See, I have this fussy kinda fixation kind of thing. So you make lasagne at home, right? and it's done the way you like it. then you go out, and you order it, and it's just not the same. it's like that with vol au vants, methinks.**

**anyhow, REVIEW BUTTON IS JUST BELOW!**


	14. Chapter 14

**did anyone else get exam results? i got my exam results! i got ten honours! GASP! i was so so so so (x 1000000) happy! :)**

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Amber POV**

The meal went on forever, most of the time seemingly taken up by Amber attempting to convince Susan that if she had any more of her 'delicious' vol au vants, she would spoil the rest of her dinner, and that 'simply wouldn't do, no?'. And despite Edmund's mischievous inputs of 'oh, Amber, just one more won't do any harm, right?' she had just about managed to escape the dreaded wrath of the vol au vants. As for Edmund, she'd take care of him later.

Otherwise, Amber found that she was enjoying herself, even getting the chance to talk to Caspian. After they both got over the initial shock of their inexplicable similarities, the shock had turned to curiosity, and they had conversed with each other throughout the evening, questioning the other on their backgrounds, each trying to make sense of the other. She actually enjoyed talking to him, once she could vaguely make sense of his thick accent.

And despite the whole 'vol au vant' incident, Amber was happy to be involved in the nights festivities, as it worked in her effort to take her mind off...previous events.

She had just about forgotten for now about the mental attack, when another servant appeared at the head table, serving the main course. Glancing over the platter, she caught sight of one particular main course.

At the sight of a scaly fish, strewn across the platter, she felt an ice cold chill run down her spine, causing her to shiver. As if floodgates had opened in her head, memories and images flooded through her head. The monster's scaly hand grabbing hold of her, dragging its nails down her arm...

_I'll get you too. _

Amber shuddered again, her breath catching in her throat as the panic exploded inside her, depriving her of oxygen, causing her breath to come in short gaps, struggling to get through her windpipe. The oxygen in the room seemed to seep out of the room, causing her lungs to tighten, contract, leaving Amber shaking and gasping for breath, the panic consuming her at the memory of the monster hovering over her with that sinister smile, the menacing laugh...

_I'll get you too._

Her panicked state didn't go unnoticed. Edmund's head snapped up from his food, and as soon as he saw Amber shaking in her seat, struggling to breathe, her dropped his fork, and secured his arm around her shoulder. He understood instantly, motioning the servant away quickly, tightening her hold around her and pulling her to her feet. Ignoring everyone, he wrapped his arms around her and guided her towards the french doors.

Practically running, they flew out of the french doors onto the balcony. Amber broke free of Edmund, staggering to the banisters and leaning on them. She inhaled deeply, relishing the feel of oxygen in her lungs, relief washing through her.

Edmund stood next to her, putting his arm around her shoulder and guiding her down to a sitting position, crouching beside her. "Put your head between your knees." He instructed, holding her tightly.

She did as she was told, breathing in deeply. His hand rubbed her shoulder soothingly, reassuring her. Amber sighed wearily. Feeling the cool chill of the night air, she shivered, feeling goose bumps form on her arm. "I'm sorry." She whispered sadly, her voice muffled, as her head was still buried between her knees as she struggled to get her breath back.

Edmund rolled his eyes, tightening his arm around her, enveloping her in his warmth. "For what exactly?"

Amber's head lifted, her breathing relatively normal. "You don't have to do all this. It's my problem." She pointed out, taking slow, deep breaths.

Edmund's arm tightened around her yet again, protectively, as he shook his head angrily at her statement. "No way in _hell _Amber. Do you seriously expect me to stand by and watch you go through this alone?" he snapped. It didn't sound like a question.

Amber didn't say anything, just stared wordlessly at the ground, still breathing deeply. Edmunds hand rubbed her shoulder gently, soothing her.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Amber. Hang it all, you're the one of the most decent people I've ever met." He whispered fiercely.

Amber felt a stab of guilt at that, forgetting about breathing for a moment. _If only he knew..._

"I'm sorry. For going all pissed on you there." He said suddenly. "I just don't want to see you upset. You're one of my best...friends." he hesitated before 'friends', as if he was unsure of how they stood, or maybe how he wanted them to stand.

Amber frowned in confusion at that. What was that supposed to mean? Maybe he didn't want to be friends, or he wanted to be more than friends? But maybe she was just imagining things, or over analyzing things, seeing as she was now suddenly aware of her own feelings, after asking him to sleep in with her last night...

"I'm sorry." She said unexpectedly.

Edmund looked at her incredulously, irritated. "What for, now?" he asked, exasperated.

"About last night, you know...I mean, I shouldn't have asked..." she fumbled.

Edmund looked at her with an unreadable expression on her face.

"You know, because you just said we're friends and everything..." she said awkwardly, not able to look up and meet his eyes. "I mean, friends don't do that, right...?" she trailed off unsurely.

Edmund frowned thoughtfully, and placed his hand on Amber's chin, tipping her head up to look her in the eyes carefully. "Do you regret it?" he asked quietly, his eyes boring into hers. His tone was indifferent, but Amber thought she could hear an undercurrent to his casual remark, as his eyes burned intensely into hers.

"No." she answered honestly, feeling her cheeks redden slightly.

Her response caused Edmund's features to soften. She even thought she might have seen a little...relief in his eyes. As he stared at her, Edmund smirked wickedly. "Anyway." He said casually. "It's not like we did anything." He pointed out mischievously, chuckling to himself.

At the thought of Edmund and her 'doing anything', particularly in a bed of all places, Amber felt her face flush red with embarrassment. It wasn't as if she found the idea of her and Edmund in bed together, 'doing something', desirable or anything. At least, she was trying to convince herself that she didn't like the idea of that. Her hammering heart and flushing cheeks were begging to differ. It was one thing to like a guy, and another thing wholly to want him in bed. Not that she did want him in bed. She didn't. That would be ridiculous.

But the idea of it...

Suddenly it was hard to breathe again, but in a good way.

_Right, that's enough. Stop. The whole notion of me, and Edmund, in a bed, 'doing anything', is...is..._

She had to stop, NOW, before her thoughts ran away with her, even though it seemed like they already had.

"This place is beautiful." She said randomly, desperate to distract herself from the images in her head. Even though, in truth, the balcony was stunning, the decorations setting it off beautifully.

Edmund smiled softly. "Susan will be delighted to hear that. Then again, just as long as Caspian likes it, she'll be happy." He shrugged.

"So how did you come to know Caspian?" Amber asked, the mention of his name bringing back the confusion of their similarities. Her mind was already miles ahead, convinced that it _couldn't_ be simply a coincidence...maybe there was a link? She was eager for any sort of background information on her lookalike. Anything would help.

Edmund made a face, indicating his disinterest. "Long, boring story."

Amber mock pouted, glaring at him. "Fine, be that way." She sniffed, looking pointedly away from him and folding her arms like a five year old.

Edmund threw his head back and laughed at her antics, obviously amused yet again. "Tell you what." He chuckled. "Go to Caspian's library tomorrow. He'll let you in, don't worry. Everything you want to know will be in there." He smiled adorably at her. "Now, do you forgive me? Even though I didn't really do anything in the first place." He pointed out, smiling mischievously.

Amber looked back at him, frowning. The way he was talking...

"Will you not be coming with me?" she asked, frowning suspiciously.

Edmund's smile faded, and he looked at her carefully for a moment, seemingly contemplating. He then dropped her gaze, sighing, and released his arm from around her, standing up, and pulling her up too when she accepted his offered hand. They stood face to face, Edmund looking gravely at Amber, who returned the stare with a worried, apprehensive expression.

"I won't be here tomorrow." He said quietly, his tone grave. When Amber simply stared at him blankly, he dropped his gaze and walked slowly over to the balcony, leaning down on it, looking over the city.

_Why is he being so serious? Is something wrong? Where is he going? _

"Why?" Amber asked, ignoring the rush of disappointment she felt.

Edmund didn't look at her. "I'm going...hunting." he replied slowly, his hands clutching the banister.

_Is that all? That's what has him so serious? _

"Can't I come with you?" Amber said eagerly. She had always gone hunting with her mother and a rank of their soldiers back home, for recreational purposes, and she had always enjoyed herself. Also, even though she didn't want admit it, she didn't particularly like she prospect of spending an entire day without Edmund.

This caused Edmund to finally look at her, with a displeased expression upon his face. "No." He said shortly, in a 'don't bother arguing' sort of tone.

Amber frowned, irritated. "Why not?" she persisted, hands on her hips.

Edmund frowned, looked extremely irritated. "You're not coming, Ambs. Just stay at home with Lu and Susan, OK?" he turned back to the banister, leaning on it, ignoring her.

At this, Amber's jaw dropped in shock, which quickly turned to anger. "You're not letting Susan or Lucy go either?" she exclaimed, her voice incredulous. "So it's because I'm a girl, is it? How utterly _sexist_ of you! You know, girls can-"

"It's not about you being a girl, or anything of the sort, you idiot." Edmund snapped angrily, turning back to face her with an infuriated expression, his eyes hard, his brows furrowed together.

Amber frowned in confusion. "Then why?" she asked, baffled.

Edmund sighed, running a hand through his hair, obviously frustrated. "Look, Ambs, next hunting trip, you can come, I promise." He said in a compromising tone, as if hoping she would be content with that and drop the subject.

_Not likely._

Amber frowned. "Why not this one, then?" she pushed persistently.

Edmund ran his hand through his unruly hair again, a sure sign of exasperation, opening and closing his mouth, searching for the correct words. "What we're after, Ambs, you...you don't want to come into contact with." He said finally, looking at her beseechingly.

Amber's brow furrowed in thought, still confused. "What are you hunting?" she asked in confusion. _What could be_ _that bad?_

Edmund stared at her for a moment, contemplating, grinding his teeth irritably.

"Ed?" she probed, her curiosity getting the better if her patience.

He scratched his head awkwardly, looking extremely put out.

"Amber, look, it's nothing...important-"

She shook her head in response, feeling annoyed, which showed on her face. "Why can't you just tell me?" she snapped irritably, becoming rather infuriated by the whole conversation, which seemed to be going in circles.

Edmund looked beyond exasperated, and sighed again, this rime in angry defeat. "We're searching for the Lady of Green Kirtle." He muttered angrily, turning away from her, closing the subject.

Amber frowned, baffled. "Who's that?" she questioned, determined to find out what he was hiding.

Edmund turned to her again, his expression empty, and pointed towards the doors. "Do you want to go back inside now?" he said vaguely, ignoring her question.

"Ed!" she snapped angrily. "What is _with_ you tonight?"

"What is with me?" he said incredulously, his irritation returning quickly. "For crying out loud, why can't you just drop it?"

"Why won't you just tell me?" she replied, exasperated.

"Fine, you asked for it." He snapped, throwing his hands in the air. "We're going to find the Lady of Green Kirtle, the green lady, the serpent, whatever you want to call her." He leaned back on the banister, arms folded, waiting for her reaction, his anger still bubbling.

Amber frowned as her mind processed this. Who was he-

_I'll get you too._

Amber froze, feeling her insides go cold, like someone had just poured a bucket of ice-cold water over her. She stared at Edmund wordlessly, struggling for something coherent to say. Last night's events replayed in her mind, no less frightening than the first time.

"No." She whispered, raising a shaking hand to her mouth in shock. Edmund was going to go after the lady, the serpent. Edmund, was going after, the serpent.

Amber shivered as chills ran through her in quick succession of each other. In her mind, the green lady had had a turbulent force about her, and that was just in her head. What she had done to her was merely a mental attack. In person, how powerful would she be? How much damage could she inflict?

_How badly would she hurt Edmund?_

_What if he-if he..._

_Died?_

"_No_." She repeated, her voice rising. "No. You're not going. You_ can't_ go."

Edmund just shook his head passively, not looking at her, looking at the castle behind her instead.

"No!" she repeated again, her voice breaking as it turned pleading. "You _can't!_ I won't let you go!" she said fiercely, a desperate edge to her voice.

Edmund simply shook his head again, looking past her, at nothing in particular. Amber walked quickly forward, grabbing his shoulders, shaking them for his attention, looking him desperately in the eyes.

"Don't go." She pleaded, her voice dropping to a whisper. "It's ridiculous, stupid, and idiotic. What if you get hurt? What if-"

"Amber, as one of the kings of Narnia, it is my duty to protect my people. This creature is potentially dangerous, and needs to be dealt with." He cut across her in a buisness-like tone, removing her white hands from his shoulders.

Amber looked at him incredulously, her eyes wide, filled with disbelief. "You _can't_ be serious." She exclaimed, her breath catching in her throat. The look upon his face answered her question for her. "This is a...an overreaction! It was just...a nightmare" she fumbled for words, knowing they were all lies, that she was just trying to fool herself.

Edmund knew that too, a disbelieving expression finally cracking his passive facade. "Just a nightmare?" he exclaimed incredulously. Practically fuming, he grabbed Amber's bandage arm and yanked up her dress sleeve angrily.

"A nightmare that left _this_?" he snapped furiously, motioning toward her exposed bandaged arm. He snorted sceptically, dropping her arm and turning back to the banister. "Stop kidding yourself, Amber. That thing attacked you, and it's out there right now, waiting to get you again."

Amber felt hot tears prick at her eyes, desperate tears. She swallowed, blinking rapidly, refusing to let them fall.

"Ed...please." she implored, her voice still not managing to get past a whisper. "Just...don't go. Please." She felt a tear escape down her cheek, and tried to wipe it away angrily.

Edmund turned back to her yet again, exasperated. "Amber-"

"You're just going to get _hurt_!" she cried, her voice breaking mid-sentence, another damn tear escaping.

Edmund sighed sadly, taking a step toward her, reaching up and slowly wiping away her tear with his thumb. "_You're_ going to get hurt if I don't go." He said quietly. "And I'm not going to let that happen." His tone was firm, determined.

Amber forgot whatever she was going to say, staring up at him in open-mouthed, wide-eyed shock.

"Are you doing this...because of...me?" she said incredulously, horrified.

Edmund frowned. "Why else?" he replied, as if she had just asked the most ridiculous question ever.

"Ed, no. No. _No_." Another tear, followed by another, ran down her cheek. He couldn't get hurt, not because of her.

_How ironic is that..._

"You're not going! I think it's clear that she wants me, not you! You're not getting involved." She said, panicked, looking up at him beseechingly.

Edmund suddenly looked livid, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her. "Amber, that thing is out there, waiting for you. It's attacked you once, and I'm not going to let it happen again." He tightened his grip on her arm, looking her directly in the eye. "What do you expect me to do? Sit around and watch you get hurt like this? What the hell do you want me to do? Sit back and do nothing to help you?" he looked furious. "No way in hell, Amber. I _can't_ do that."

Peter suddenly appeared through the door, stopping abruptly when he caught sight of them.

"Uh, music's starting soon..." he pointed vaguely toward the door. "Susan was looking for you..." he trailed off awkwardly.

Edmund nodded tightly, not loosening his grip on Amber. Peter nodded back, looking uncomfortable, and quickly left, disappearing back through the french doors into the loud party.

Edmund sighed in frustration, and let go of Amber, walking toward the door. Amber simply stood there, unable to speak, unable to find the words that would change his mind, make im stay. She wished desperately she could do something, anything, to stop him.

"Edmund, _please_." She begged quietly toward his retreating figure, her voice shaking.

He paused at the door when she spoke, looking back at her with indecision written all over his face. Taking a few hesitant steps back to her, he reached out a hand, taking a gentle hold on her hand again.

"I'm not going to let anyone harm you." He whispered fiercely. Amber looked up at him sadly, tears running down her face. Edmund sighed again, leaning in and pressing his lips to her forehead.

Amber felt the butterflies explode in her stomach again, making her feel dizzy. Edmund sighed, and pulled away from her, looking at her momentarily, before turning and walking away, not looking back this time.

Amber stood there, her lips parted in shock. Her insides felt like a hurricane, all her thoughts and emotions spinning around at an uncontrollable rate. The despair was still there, the despair of Edmund leaving tomorrow in an attempt to protect her. The panic was still there, wreaking havoc.

But it was slightly overshadowed by the feeling of lightness, happiness. The simple act of affection had overwritten everything else, leaving her speechless. After the shock of him turning around and planting one on her forehead, came the giddiness, the happiness. The butterflies were still fluttering around her stomach. Amber knew she shouldn't feel this way, but she couldn't help herself.

She suddenly felt incredibly tired. The past forty-eight hours had just been far too much for her. She had far too much to think about, too much to worry about. Going to bed would solve everything.

She hoped.

**did anyone else see the trailor for zac efrons new movie? looks like we'll need tissues. and what about vanessa's hudgens new film, beastly, with alex pettyfer, who, might i add, is rather shexi;)**

** have you noticed i seem to go on about gorgeous guys quite a bit? LOL...**

** READ AND REVIEW, PLEASE!**


	15. Chapter 15

** (EVIL, THOUGHTFUL LAUGH..)**

** some reviewers are on the right tack as to what is going on, who's related to who, and so on...;)**

** BUT CASPIAN IS NOT AMBER'S DAD, I ASSURE YOU THAT:/ that would be REALLY weird...cos he's only a few years older than her:/**

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Amber POV**

'_It's so cold.'_

_Amber was standing in a dark, dim room, barely lit by the faint glow of moonlight shining through the glassless windows. She couldn't make out much, only the smooth, stone walls and dark shadows, creating menacing shapes around her, and giving off an eerie atmosphere. It was freezing, and Amber could just about see her own breath in the air as she breathed, the hairs on her arm standing on end, goose bumps trailing all over her body. It was completely silent, and the only sound she could hear being her own ragged breathing which seemed painfully loud in the muffled stillness. _

_Then suddenly, out of the still darkness, the sound of quiet, hesitant footsteps sounded, causing Amber to hold her breath. She remained where she was, not able to see or reach a potential hiding place. As quietly as she could, she lifted up the dress of her skirt slightly, reaching for her dragger, ready to defend herself against any possible danger. When her fumbling hands found nothing, the sickening realization that she didn't have her dagger with her sent a wave of panic through her._

_A sudden light scraping noise sounded, like the sound of a door handle. Then there was the creak of a door opening and the room was flooded with a warm light. Amber reflexively lifted her arm to shield herself from the sudden light, squinting too see who or what it was, whilst frantically searching for a potential weapon, if she might come to need one._

_There was silence for another moment. "Amber?" a voice finally exclaimed from the other side of the room, the voice filled with a mixture of suprise and relief._

_Amber frowned warily, her eyes gradually adjusting to the light. Her eyes focused on the oil lamp that had lit up the room, then the hand attached to the lamp, and then the person attached to the hand. It was a young woman, staring at her with an expression of disbelief, her lips parted in an 'o', her eyebrows raised delicately above the dark hazel eyes that looked extremely like her own..._

"_I didn't think I'd ever see you again!" the young woman exclaimed in a hushed whisper, incredulity colouring her tone. She took a few slow steps toward Amber; as if afraid she would disappear at any moment, giving Amber a better view of her._

_Amber glanced over her, recognizing her instantly as Breanne, the girl from the forest with the...serpent. How could she forget? Herself and Breanne had an incredible, uncanny alikeness, except Breanne was taller, thinner, had fair hair, and her complexion was even paler than Amber's, if that was possible. _

_A worried frown came over Breanne's face suddenly, along with concern. "What are you doing here?" she whispered frantically, looking back at the door worriedly. "You shouldn't be here!"_

_Amber opened her mouth with the intention to reply, but came out with nothing. What was she doing here? She didn't even know._

"_No, wait." Breanne said suddenly, her free hand flying to her temple as she closed her eyes in deep thought. Sudden realization dawned on her face and her eyes flew open again, a sense of urgency in them. "I remember now! Aslan said this would happen and that it was of vital importance I give you this advice." Putting down the oil lamp and glancing around hastily, Breanne grabbed a scrap of dirty paper and a broken ink pen that where lying on a nearby rotten wooden stand. Materials in hand, she began scribbling madly on the slip of paper. "I'm glad you're here...Any longer and it would have been too late..." she trailed off, engrossed in writing._

_Amber frowned in confusion, finding her voice at last. "Wait, too late for what? What are you talking about?" _

_Breanne's hand froze, her instructions forgotten as her head snapped up to look at Amber with an expression of horror. "You don't know?" she whispered, her voice filled with dismay._

_Amber shook her head, still frowning. What on earth was going on? What was this place? _

_Breanne looked horrified, slowly shaking her head to herself. "I can't believe she thought this would work...what the hell does she think she's doing..." she muttered to herself, her expression turning angry, as she resumed scribbling furiously._

_Amber was beginning to feel extremely pissed off. Nothing was making sense. Who was this girl anyway? What was she rambling on about? Amber was beginning to feel a little out of her depth here, wherever that was._

"_Look." Amber began, as politely as she could manage. "With all due respect, I haven't got a clue what you're talking about, I don't even know who you are, and I don't know where I am..." the list could go on forever. Amber was growing rather frustrated. "Could you please just show me the way out?" she asked._

_Breanne's expression turned from horrified to desolation in a split second. She looked up from her piece of paper, facing Amber with beseeching eyes._

"_You don't remember me?" she whispered sadly, her eyes boring into Amber._

_Amber felt a stab of guilt pierce her. Should she know her? Did she know her? She backtracked through her memory quickly, trying to find her face somewhere, looking for any signs of recognition, but they evaded her. Amber's childhood memories were foggy, muffled. _

_Breanne looked at her dejectedly, her eyes brimming with sorrow. But suddenly, a resounding thud from somewhere beyond the door shook her from her reverie, making them both start. Her eyes suddenly panicked, Breanne reached out and gripped Amber's shoulders with sudden force, looking down on her, her eyes adamant. "Ambs, I need you to listen, because I don't know when exactly she's planning to attack, okay?"_

_Amber felt a sense of dread soak through her as Breanne's word sunk in. She could only be talking about The Green Lady, the serpent. Inside, Amber could feel the panic smouldering again, readying itself, almost teasing her. _

_Breanne's expression and tone became serious, and she looked down on Amber sternly, authority ringing in her voice. "Listen carefully to me. I'll be there, when she comes for you. And when I tell you to run, you run, ok? No questions, no protests, just run." Amber could hear the finality in her voice, signifying this discussion was not up for debate. She nodded slowly in response, still wondering what the hell was going on._

"_Just run for safety. It doesn't matter how far away, just as long as you're safe, okay? It's of the utmost importance she doesn't get you." Breanne's tone took on a note of pleading, her eyes not leaving Amber's._

_Footsteps sounded outside, close to the door, growing closer with each footfall. Amber didn't know why, or who, but she knew it was her, the Green Lady. She could tell by the ice-cold chills rippling down her spine, the cold flush creeping down her neck, the way it was becoming harder and harder to breath. Folding the note with fumbling hands, Breanne placed the folded piece of paper in Amber's hand, closing her fingers around it as she wrapped her arms around Amber tightly, giving her the briefest hug possibly. "Read it when you get home." She whispered, letting of Amber and grabbing the oil lamp, blowing it out just as the door slammed open._

**XXX**

Amber woke with a start, a terrified scream lodged in her throat. Breathing heavily, with sweat running down the sides of her face, and her hair matted against her fear-drenched skin, she choked the scream down, not wishing to be the cause of another psychopathic incident in Cair Paravel within the space of two days.

Another...dream? But was it a dream, really? They certainly didn't seem like dreams. They were so _real_. It was inexplicable.

But what did they mean? Both of her two 'mental attacks' to date had warned her that the Green was coming for her, sometime soon, and then when she did, Amber had to run.

_Phhhft. As if_. Amber had been raised all her life to stand up to her fears, not to run away from them. It was bred in her. Serpent or no serpent, Amber wasn't willing to let her pride take a beating, and go run and hide. The phrase '_the best form of defence is attack' _applied here, Amber thought.

But at the thought of any sort of 'attack' with the serpent, her breath caught in her throat again, and her resolve began to fade, fear taking over again.

Amber shook her head to herself in an effort to calm herself down, as if it might shake all of her sudden new problems away. _It was just a dream anyway_, she reassured herself. _Not like they had left proof or anything this time_...

With this, a sudden thought struck her square in the chest, dismantling her shaky, temporary feeling of reassurance.

_Proof._

Warily, Amber slowly uncurled her tense fingers from her closed fist, and tried to ignore the queasy turn of her stomach and stifle her gasp when she saw the folded piece of paper enclosed in her fingers.

So it was official then. She was on the hit list. With panic tingling at her fingertips, she hesitantly opened the folded the piece of paper.

_Ambs,_

_I'm sorry things are the way they are. But remember what I told you-run. If you come across Aslan, please, for me, tell him that I understand now, and that I forgive him. When you find out what happened all those years ago, which you undoubtedly will, if you're as curious as I remember you to be, you must forgive him too. You must understand Amber, he was devastated at the time, and though it might seem unbelievable, this way was the only way. _

_Most importantly-a word of advice: stick with Edmund. She can't hurt him, unless she's suicidal. _

_Love, B._

Great. Now Amber was just more confused than ever. Helpful advice, that was.

**XXX**

Later that morning, Amber weaved her way through the busy corridors of Cair Paravel. Today, there was a major clean-up operation in place, following the aftermath of the party, which had left a considerable mess. But the Narnian's wasted nothing; all undisposable rubbish was being artistically built as a bonfire and fireworks were planned for later during the week.

Striding through the main castle door, Amber was immediatly greeted with the blaring sunshine that blinded her momentarily. She grimaced, inwardly cursing the never ending sunshine in Narnia.

Making her way through the castle's courtyard, Amber skirted and pushed her way through and around the huge crowds milling around, chatting and shouting loudly. It was market day in Cair Paravel, something that Edmund and Susan had organised years ago, she had been told. Farmers and businesses from Narnia and surrounding lands all came together to trade, and so on and forth. It was aimed at keeping peace and upholding the economy. Amber had to admit, Edmund was pretty smart like that.

Amber avoided the people and their stalls, heading toward the stables out behind the castle. The crowds thinned out as she made her way down the back path, until eventually there was the odd servant pottering around. Reaching the huge, stone building, Amber nodded at the guard, who glanced at her momentarily before nodding back. Inwardly, Amber heaved a sigh of relief. Thankfully, she wasn't stopped, interrogated, and searched anymore when she went places around the castle - most people knew her by now.

Entering the building, Amber inhaled deeply. The old, stone building, which bore hundreds upon hundreds of horses, was much cooler than outside, something Amber was delighted about. A musty aroma wafted through the air, tinged with the familiar smell of hay and horses. Amber liked being here. It reminded her of home.

The stables were like a maze to those who weren't familiar with them. There was one straight aisle down the middle, and many more turning off them, and more aisles turning off the other aisles. Not to mention a tack room and feed room in every aisle. There were no markers, nothing to mark a difference. It was all the same, stone face walls and wooden stalls. It was so incredibly easy to get lost in here. It was only yourself and the sound of footsteps echoing loudly on the stone floor.

Amber carefully made her way down the first aisle, counting the turn off's in her head, trying to remember where exactly she was headed to, and how to get there, preferably without getting lost. Not exactly sure of herself, she paused before turning down the fifth aisle, entering another long passage. Continuing on, she caught sight of a guard standing beside the turn off to yet another aisle.

_Bingo._

That was Amber's marker; there would only be a guard beside a turn off if the horses in that aisle were of particular importance. Horses that belonged to the royal family, for example. She continued up to the guard, sailing past when he gave her an once-over and motioned for her to continue on.

Confident now, Amber continued straight down the aisle, knowing where she was headed now, positive she wasn't going to get lost. Still counting in her head, she stopped at the door of the ninth stable on the left. She stood on her tiptoes, gripping the stable door for support and stuck her head in over the door. Upon finding the stall empty, her face fell slightly, and a feeling of disappointment flooded through her. She had been hoping to catch Edmund before he left. Sighing resignedly, she pulled her head back, standing on the flats of her feet again, and began walking slowly back down the aisle, occasionally poking her head in a stable, hoping she might have counted wrong.

Sauntering pass the tack room, Amber caught sight of a familiar person, a saddle on their lap, scrubbing vigorously. She paused, and they looked up.

"Amber." Caspian greeted pleasantly. "Hi!"

Coming to the conclusion that it would be rude to ignore him and just keep walking, and also taking into consideration that since Edmund was gone for the day, she had absolutely nothing to do; Amber walked into the tack room, plopping down onto the stool opposite Caspian.

"Hi." Amber replied shortly; looking around the vast, tack filled room. She wrinkled her nose as she caught the lingering smell of sand and leather, sweat and dirt.

"How fares you on this bright, sunny day?" Caspian enquired, whilst scrubbing vigorously at the saddle balanced on his lap.

Amber made a face. "Quite well, thank you."

Caspian smiled at her dubiously, laugh lines showing on his face. "You sure?" he asked. "Your face suggests otherwise..."

Amber sighed, picking at a loose thread of the leather on her stool. "I don't like the sun that much." She admitted. "So bright days aren't good days, for me anyway."

Caspian frowned, a confused smile remaining on his face. "You don't like the _sun_?" he sounded suprised, slightly baffled.

Amber nodded, glancing up at him to watch his reaction.

Caspian simply stared at her for a moment, looking rather amused, and then shook his head, smiling pleasantly before returning to scrubbing his saddle. "Never heard that one before." He said, seemingly to himself, the smile still on his face.

Amber felt a small smile pull at her lips. His reaction was by far better than Edmunds had been when she had told him that she didn't like the sun. Mainly because of the fact that Edmund's reaction had simply consisted of him laughed uncontrollably at her for a rather long, humiliating period of time. Needless to say, he had found her weird dislike incredibly amusing.

Speaking of which...

"Has Edmund left yet?" she inquired, with not much hope.

As if sensing her sadness, Caspian looked at her regretfully. "I'm afraid so. They left about half an hour ago, him, Pete, and a few ranks of the army."

Amber sighed quietly, knowing she shouldn't have been hoping for anything. "Ok. Thanks anyway." She said despondently, standing up to leave.

But Caspian didn't seem to have heard her. He was shaking his head irritably, scrubbing angrily. His expression had changed, the smile gone, replaced with a frustrated frown.

"About time someone went in there." He muttered to himself, rubbing the saddle vigorously.

Amber paused, frowning as she looked down at Caspian. "What did you say?" she asked.

Caspian looked up, his mouth set in a hard line. "It's about time they went in there. Unusual things have been happening." He frowned deeply.

Amber slowly sat back down, her eyes glued to Caspian. "Like what?" she probed curiously.

Caspian's frown deepened, his saddle forgotten as he stared into space. "Well, lately, anyone who enters the Forbidden Forest doesn't make it back out." He sighed, obviously frustrated. "We tried to investigate into it. Send in spies, that sort of thing. And if our spies ever make it out, which they rarely do, they're in pieces, and all they can report is a confirment of the death of all the people missing. Their dead bodies are all over the Forest" He sounded angry.

Amber could feel that eerie chill creep up through her again. She ignored it, still focused on Caspian and his story. "Is someone...something, attacking them? What's out there?" she asked, her voice verging on a whisper, trembling slightly, fearing the answer.

Caspian sighed. "Only one person ever made it out, and he's still in the infirmary as far as I know. He raves on about a green monster of some sort. That's all he could remember." He shook his head sadly, obviously disappointed.

Amber let out a ragged breath, her mind racing on ahead, jumping to the worst possible conclusions. _A green monster of some sort_. It had to be the Green Lady out there, killing all those people.

"They wouldn't let me go with them today." Caspian continued, looking infuriated. "And they couldn't even give me a bloody reason why." He returned to scrubbing the saddle furiously, apparently taking all his anger out on the poor, innocent saddle.

Amber frowned, distracted from her other thoughts as she pondered this. Edmund had told her what was going on. Why couldn't he tell Caspian? She shook her head to herself, confused, unable to answer that one.

"Oh?" She offered lamely, not knowing what to say in response.

Caspian sighed, and stopped scrubbing, his arms slacking to his side. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..." he trailed off, still looking extremely upset because of the whole thing. He sighed again, wearily, and then suddenly the expression of stress and anxiety was quickly replaced with a perfect display of calm, the lines on his brow smoothing out, the thin line of his mouth dissapearing as he smiled apologetically at Amber.

"My apologies, Amber." He said in a remorseful tone. That wasn't fair on you. My problems are my own."

Amber waved her hand in the air, as if to brush the problem away. "It doesn't matter." She reassured him, noting the way the troubled look hadn't left his eyes.

Caspian quietly returned to scrubbing the saddle, as Amber sat on the stool, wringing her hands, and thinking over what she had been told. An awkward silence ensued between the two, neither knowing what to say now. The only sound was the swish of water as Caspian dunked the sponge back into the bucket, and the scratching sound as he scrubbed the leather of the saddle.

Finally, after five unbearable minutes, Amber stood, making to leave. She couldn't take this anymore.

"Wait." Caspian said suddenly, seeing her go to leave. He placed down his saddle and threw the sponge in the bucket. Grabbing a nearby towel, he wiped his hands as he turned back to Amber. "Edmund told me to take you to my library. You wanted to look there?" he looked expectantly at her, eyebrows raised.

Remembering, Amber nodded half-heartedly, figuring she had nothing better to do, anyway.

Wiping it dry, Caspian placed the newly-cleaned saddle back on its shelf and turned to face Amber, smiling. "I'll show you the way, then."

**XXX**

**DOES ANYONE WATCH X FACTOR?**

** IF SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE FINAL TWELVE?**

** please review(: thank youuuu(:**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Amber POV**

_And with this, the Golden Age of Narnia gradually transpired to its end, marking the era when the Telmarines invaded and took over_.

Amber groaned in exasperation. Yet _another _chapter of '_The Entire History of Narnia_, Volume I' read, and she hadn't found a single thing that was of any relative importance to her. Sighing in frustration, she flipped agitatedly to the next page, scanning over it. In a big heading at the top it read '_The Beginning of the Telmarine Age_'.

Damn the Telmarines! Amber couldn't care less about them. She had come here with the intention of finding out more on the Green Lady, which she thought would have been easy enough, just having to go through '_The Entire History of Narnia'_.

But then Caspian had informed Amber that there were eleven books in the collection, several sections in each book, and several chapters in each section. It would take _years_ to get through the whole lot. How the _hell_ was she supposed to get anywhere?

Sighing yet again, Amber buried her head in her hands. There was nothing in this book so far that someone or other hadn't already told her about. And there were no specific titles to each book, no list of contents, nothing. The only way to find what you wanted was to go through every single godamn book. Huffing to herself, Amber flipped idly through the book, randomly looking at the pictures that illustrated the book.

Honestly, the book was pointless. The whole collection was pointless. The book she had now in her hands was just one of the eleven in the whole collection of the '_The Entire History of Narnia'_. The author pretty much just rambled on about how Narnia was 'oh so superior to all other regions in the entire world' and 'how all the magnificent armies belonging to the god-like Aslan had brutally, bravely defeated all their enemies'...quite frankly; the book might as well be a holiday brochure for Narnia. Amber could just picture it. Aslan frolicking on the golden beaches in the sunset, with the heading '_Have a holiday in Narnia_!' They could even run specials. '_First caller gets a free ride on Aslan_!' Or it could even do for instructing you to vote for Aslan in an election. "_Vote for Aslan-he's the giant cat that can talk, apparently_!"

Although she could have gone on (and on), Amber put the sardonic comments aside for a moment, telling herself to focus on the task on hand. She thought of the note Breanne had given her, instructing her to tell Aslan she that she forgave him and that Amber must also forgive when she found out what he had supposedly done. Frowning, and with a new purpose in mind, Amber reached for the eleventh book in the collection, which Caspian had informed her was an index of everything in the entire collection. Opening it, she scanned through the A section carefully.

_Aslan...See Volume I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VII, IX, & X,_ _Pages_...Amber shook her head in incredulity. Aslan was in every single book in the bloody collection for crying out loud! She continued reading on down the page, until she caught sight of a promising alternative. Well, anything was better than going through every single book, looking at hundreds of pages...

_Aslan, information on, Volume I, Page 82, 83, 84..._

Amber snorted. Even just information on him went on for pages. Shaking her head, she rummaged through the piles of books for Volume I. It looked like this was all she was getting.

Finding the correct book, she opened it, leafing through the worn pages until she reached page 82. She scanned idly through the page. It didn't seem to say anything of particular importance to her, just pretty much the same stuff she had already heard. Aslan was the leader of Narnia, above all others, the most respected of all...nothing seemed to be connected to her note from Breanne.

Then something caught Amber's eye as she flipped over the page. It was a picture, taking up an entire page. In the centre was a bad rendition of Aslan, scratchy fur, bushy mane and all. Then to the right of him was a tall, thin striking woman, with long, wispy, almost white hair, her hard mouth set in a thin line, her cold blue eyes glaring directly at Aslan, with a look of pure loathing. Gripped tightly in her hand was her staff, pointed toward Aslan. Immediately, Amber recognised her mother, regardless of the bad replica of her. A wave of homesickness washed over her as she traced her fingers lightly over the page. _If only she was here right_ _now. She would know what to do_.

Cursing her weakness, Amber shook those thoughts from her head, glancing back to the picture. To the right side of Aslan stood another woman, every bit as striking as the White Witch appeared. She had long blonde hair, curling down to her waist, and a flowing green dress that draped around her, matching her fiery green eyes, set in her tiny, pale face. Her mouth was curling slightly at one end, looking straight ahead with the hint of a menacing, threatening smirk. One hand was half hidden behind her back, just barely showing the mandolin she held in her hand. With a shudder, Amber instantly recognised her. _The Green Lady._

Taking a deep breath, Amber tore her gaze from the picture and read the small print below the picture. _The only known enemies of Aslan are Jadis, the_ _White Witch of the North, and the Lady of Green Kirtle._

Amber frowned, Aslan forgotten as she reached for the index again, another new purpose in mind as this time she searching through the L section. Finding what she was looking for, she then went to the self, and retrieved Volume VI. Nervously, she flicked through the pages until she reached page 106.

Another picture greeted her, yet another bad rendition of The Green Lady. Sure, it had her long blonde hair, her captivating, fearsome eyes, her trademark green dress and everything else about her. But the picture failed to capture the air of terror about her, the threatening power, and her frightening dominance. Despite that, Amber still felt herself break out in a cold sweat. She quickly moved on the text that accompanied the fear-provoking picture.

_The Lady of Green Kirtle is half-human, altering into her serpent form as she pleases. It is said that she kidnaps people as part of an effort to gain her freedom from her half-mortal state, and become immortal. _

Nothing else was written about her, the following pages only containing more bad pictures. Obviously, nothing more was known about here. Amber was just about to throw her towel in when something caught her eye, scrawled along the bottom of page 106.

_See Volume X, page 98._

Amber frowned, her curiosity ignited as she retrieved the said Book. Had someone else also been looking into the matter of The Green Lady?

The book in hand, she opened it on the instructed page. When she opened the page, a few sheets of paper rustled out onto her lap. Picking them up, she leafed through them. One sheet had a map drawn on, with particular points marked on it in blank ink pen. The others sheets mainly consisted of pages of untidy handwriting. She put them aside for the moment, looking back to the book.

Again, there was a picture. The Green Lady again, except this time she was running away, a dark bundle wrapped in her arms. The outline of the baby in her arms could just about be seen. The Green Lady was glancing back over her shoulder, a vicious snarl on her lips, and an evil glint in her eyes. Mesmerised, Amber scanned through the accompanying text. A section of the page was underlined in thick, black ink pen.

_To punish her The Green Lady for her greedy attempts to find a way to immortality, Aslan placed a curse upon her, causing her to become a cold-hearted serpent, and banishing her from Narnia for as long as she lived..._

_...Unfortunately, the Green Lady had come close to achieving her goal, reaching a half-mortal state, making her more determined to defy Aslan and gain immortality, whatever the price... _

Amber frowned as she read through it. So far, nothing was becoming any clearer. It was only prompting more questions. Scanning through the page, she spotted more of the same untidy script written along the side of the page.

_See page 192._

Her frown deepening, Amber flicked through the pages until she landed on the one she wanted. Again, more highlighted lines caught her eye.

_All prophesies are set in stone, and nothing and no-one can change was has been foretold. The past has proven that Fate cannot be meddled with..._

A star was put beside the line, with 'see notes' scrawled alongside it. Biting her lip in concentration, Amber picking up the pages she had previously put aside. Leafing through them, she saw one with the heading '_Volume X_', the book she was currently looking at. She scanned through it until she came to the paragraph entitled 'page 192'.

_The prophesy made cannot be changed in any way. The one chosen to save the one stolen is the one next in line. No one else has the power, or right to do so. See lines 16-19, page 192._

Wrinkling her nose in confusion, Amber glanced back at the book, looking at line 16, which was also underlined with the same black pen. Someone had obviously been doing some heavy research into this...

..._The terms set will have to be met, otherwise resulting in the stolen one's death, and the deaths of the others involved. Aslan, the Green Lady and the White Witch are powerless to stop this. _

Amber furrowed her brow, her confusion mounting in abundance. Nothing was making any sense, only puzzling her all the more. She looked back to the handwritten page of notes.

_The prophesy claims that the chosen saviour will fail in the attempt to sacrifice the son of Adam due to unbreakable alliances with the Son of Adam._

Amber felt like screaming aloud or ripping her hair out or just something, anything. What the hell did all this mean? Whoever had written these notes wasn't making themselves very clear.

_The blood of a son of Adam is said to be required for The Green Lady to attain her freedom and become immortal. The blood is used in an ancient ritual which calls upon the antediluvian gods of the ever life to grant immortality to the one who earns it._

Amber sighed in frustration. Underneath this was a brief sketch of the Green Lady. Amber tossed that page to the side, leafing through to the next page. Reading through it, she realised it seemed to be a brief summary of sorts, of all the information she had read so far.

_Circa the Golden Age, the Green Lady went on a killing rampage, murdering approximately 50-60 people in efforts to find the right blood to use for sacrifice. Outraged by her greedy actions, Aslan banished her from Narnia, turning her into a serpent. Alas the Green Lady had come close to her purpose, and was in a half-mortal state, halfway to immortality, making her all the more determined to achieve her objective. Half-mortality gave her a certain amount of years to live before it wore off, putting the Green Lady under pressure to find her way to immortality. After arduous, protracted research, she found that all she needed was the blood of a son of Adam to offer to the gods of the ever life. The only conditions were that the blood must be obtained by a select person, to free her from being half-mortal by the beginning of the new year with the blue moon._

Amber's head was spinning with all this new information. The blue moon...that occurred about once in every hundred years or so, she remembered from her astrology lessons. Funnily enough, that happened to be this New Year coming.

_Setting her plans in place, the Green Lady prepared to steal a son of Adam from the Northlands to use as her sacrifice. Upon finding out her plans, the parents of the said child sent away the child for its own protection. Even today, its whereabouts are unknown. Furious, the Green Lady targeted the child's younger sister, stealing the young girl in an act of revenge. The girl was to be used as bait, to force the child's parents to comply with her. If the Green Lady's half-immortal term was up, the girl could also be used as a sacrifice to buy the Green Lady more time. _

That girl, Breanne. Was that the girl the Green Lady had stolen?

_Alternative people were suggested, other Sons of Adam in Narnia that could be used for the sacrifice. And if their blood could be attainted and successfully used in the sacrifice, the stolen child would be handed back to the parents. The next in line to the stolen child was the selected one to obtain the blood of a Son of Adam. But it was foreseen that_ _the chosen saviour would fail in the attempt to sacrifice the son of Adam due to unbreakable alliances with the Son of Adam._

Amber tried to process everything in her head, whilst continuing on to read what had been written on the following page. It was a list, it seemed, a list of the Sons of Adam in Narnia.

_Sons of Adam; Peter Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Eustace Scrubb._

There were more scribbled notes beneath, random bits of information.

_Breanne _, whereabouts unknown, is missing from Northlands since 5__th__ December 1854._

Amber frowned at this information. So Breanne was the girl who had been stolen. That was what the Green Lady had meant when she had said 'you'll never save-'

And suddenly it clicked.

_You'll never save her._

_I'll get you too._

Amber froze. It made sense now. She was the chosen one, the one selected to save Breanne by sacrificing Edmund, one of the Sons of Adam.

But answering all these questions only created more. _Why I am the chosen one? Who is Breanne, and what is she to me? Why didn't mother tell me this?_

Was this why her mother had sent her here? She had said she just wanted Edmund dead because she had bad blood with him, but was this maybe why? And if so, what did her mother know of Breanne? Why did she matter to her?

Still reeling in shock, her mind racing, Amber slowly turned to the last page, hoping to find something, anything, that would make everything clearer, help her understand what the hell was going on.

It had said Breanne was from the Northlands, the same place as Amber was from. Had Amber maybe known her? Is that why Breanne had been upset at Amber not remembering her? Amber was absolutely baffled at this newfound revelation. She stared unseeingly at the sheets of paper in her hand, the bloody cause of all her strife.

"What are you looking at?" a voice said sharply from behind.

The sheets flew from her hands as Amber started in her seat, jumping up as her head snapped around to see Caspian standing in the doorway, staring at her with an unreadable expression on his face, his eyes empty, his mouth set in a thin, grim line.

"I...I..." she fumbled, glancing towards the notes, not sure what to say. Maybe he had written them?

Slowly, Caspian circled the table, his eyes flickering over all the open books, pictures and notes spread out across the table. When he came to a stop on the other side of the table, his lifted his head to stare at Amber again, this time bearing a frown with a hint of confusion.

"The Lady of Green Kirtle?" he questioned, obviously perplexed, his face still tense.

Amber didn't say anything in response. Even if she had planned on saying anything, she wouldn't have had a clue what to say. She was far too confused right now. So she simply stared right back at him, unsure of how to proceed.

"May I ask why you're looking into her, in particular?" he asked politely, his voice strained, an undertone to the question. His arms were folded, and his jaw was tense.

Amber opened her mouth, and then closed it again, looking from Caspian, to the book, to the fallen notes beneath her chair.

"Well...I just...came across it..."

Caspian looked at her dubiously, his eyes narrowing. Amber backtracked.

"I...I...was just...intrigued..."

Caspian didn't break her gaze, staring at her intently, raising a thick eyebrow above his dark brown eyes that so resembled her own.

"I..." Amber paused, unable to come up with any further excuses. Instead, she bent down, retrieving the fallen sheets from the floor. "Um, do you know who wrote these?" she asked lamely, holding up the sheets of loose paper.

Staring at them for a moment, Caspian's brow furrowed and his lips pressed into a thin, hard line. Instantly his arms unfolded, his hands planted on the table as he leaned forward toward Amber with a furious expression, looking directly at her with burning eyes. "What it's to you?" he growled, his trembling voice barely containing his anger.

Amber blinked at him in suprise, taken aback by his sudden, unexpected reaction. In the short twenty-fours she'd known him; she had considered him too nice and easygoing to be like _this_.

"Well, like I said...I was...intrigued..." she trailed off, hoping he'd let the matter go, as she had no more excuses. Well, she did, but they were pretty pathetic.

He frowned at her, his eyes narrowing to such an extent that all Amber could see was black slits brimming with anger. "And what exactly instigated your curiosity into this specific matter?" he pressed, his eyes not moving an inch from hers.

Her initial shock at his reaction fading, Amber could feel irritation come on as she sighed in frustration. Why did he care so godamn much? What did it have to do with him? Would it kill him to just drop the subject?

"Nothing. Like I said, I just came across it." She snapped shortly, looking straight back at him.

Staring at her a moment more, his position then relaxed, and the fierce expression still on his face slowly melted into a mere angry frown and a furrowed brow. He slid into the sit opposite her, leaning on his elbows, staring at the table. His face became the face of one contemplating deeply, at battle with himself.

For a minute or two, Amber simply stood there, unsure of what to do next. Then quickly, she began picking up the notes and bundling them into one neat pile, suddenly desperate to leave the room.

"I wrote them." Caspian said suddenly in a low tone, still looking at the table.

Amber froze, the sheets forgotten as her head snapped up to look at him in suprise. Caspian had written all the notes? Why had he been looking into the same matter as she had been? What was it to him? What did he know?

"I was...investigating...into...something." Caspian said, pausing mid-sentence, hesitantly, as if struggling for the right words, not sure how to go about it. He sighed in frustration, closing his eyes.

Amber glanced back to the papers she still had in her hand. Caspian had been investigating into...this? Just like her? She furrowed her brow, trying to make sense of it. Things just seemed to be getting more and more confusing by the minute.

"You probably think I'm crazy now." He chuckled emptily, a hollow sound.

Amber frowned at this. "No, no, of course not. I mean, I was interested too..." She said quickly, sliding back into her seat, placing the notes down.

Caspian finally tore his gaze from the table, raising his head to look at her dubiously, an eyebrow raised, his mouth still set in a thin line. Amber looked back at him, thinking briefly before coming to the quick conclusion that it couldn't do any harm if she just asked.

"I was wondering." she said idly. "About the Green Lady and...Mental attacks...and stuff like that." She said, trying to keep her voice from shaking as she winced at the memory.

At this, a pained look flashed across Caspian's face for a fleeting moment, his mouth twisted into a grimace, his eyes filled with something Amber couldn't catch sight of before he cleared his expression, sitting forward with a careful frown on his face, looking at her cautiously.

"Aslan doesn't let her come into close contact with people." He said slowly, in a monotone, as if wondering if he should be saying anything at all.

"So...?" Amber probed, desperate to find out more.

Caspian took in a deep breath, before continuing in a rushed voice. "So because of the lack of physical contact with people, mental contact is the only way she can reach people. She...she gets into your head. She can physically bring you to whatever place she wants, but she can't actually _keep_ you there. It's all a manifestation, really. She can only reach you, and hold you for a certain amount of time. It all depends how strong you are. It an exhausting task."

Pondering over this, Amber pointed to the open book stil lying in front of her. "It doesn't mention anything about that in here."

Caspian shook his head, his mouth twisting into a grimace again. "Like I said, it's an exhausting task. It takes years to build enough strength to perform it once. Then understandably, she hasn't gotten to too many people, only the one's she's needed to. So it's not well-known, as only a few, selected people are attacked. Generally, you only learn from...a personal experience..." He trailed off, gaze drifting as he shivered slightly, that unreadable look in his eyes again.

Amber frowned, thinking over this. "Then how do you know-"she trailed off as it suddenly dawned on her. Her hand flew to her mouth.

Watching her reaction, Caspian nodded. "Yes. I was attacked." He said bitterly, his voice frustrated.

Amber could only stare at him, shock, suprise and horror running through her. "You were?" she whispered, her hand still at her mouth.

He nodded slowly, eyes returning to the table. "That's why I've been looking into this so much." He waved his hand toward the books and notes still in front of Amber, spread across Amber. "I needed information, needed to know what had happened, why it happened, what she meant...Needless to say, I was demented. I was going out of my mind." He shook his head again, his eyes pained.

Amber felt herself nodding in agreement. She could relate to Caspian, having unfortunately been there herself. Within herself, Amber felt that a mental attack was far, far worse that a physical attacks. Physical attacks were pretty direct, easy to understand. You heal, you get better. You get better; you learn from it, you move on. But a mental attack...it was inexplicable. There was no explanations, no direct approaches, absolutely nothing rational or vindictive about any of it. It left you bewildered, crazy, manic. It ruined you.

Caspian swallowed, lifting his gaze from the table to look at her, his fists clenched on the table. "It was last year, around this time. I remember it like it was yesterday." He broke her gaze, his eyes drifting away from her, staring at nothing as he reminisced. "The Green Lady was there, in the Keep, with a girl named-"

"Breanne." Amber whispered quietly, goose bumps rising on her arms.

Caspian's eyes snapped back to her own, looking at her in suprised confusion, dumbfounded. "And she kept threatening me, telling me I had failed, but I didn't know what she was talking about. She wasn't making any sense." Caspian looked extremely frustrated, his frown returning. "And then, toward the end, she kept warning me that-"

"She'll get you too." Amber cut across him again, his voice still unable to rise beyond a whisper.

Caspian's eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed in confusion. He leaned forward slightly, looking intently at Amber.

"What did you say?" he asked in a hushed voice, his gaze intense, eyes boring into hers.

Amber swallowed, the memories from that terrifying, unforgettable night playing again in her mind. "She told me...she told me she'd get me too." She whispered, her hand instinctively covering her injury from that night as it throbbed dully, causing her to wince with pain.

Caspian frowned, confusion on his face as his mouth opened, and closed again, at loss for words. He dropped back in his seat, looking at Amber in bafflement.

"I don't under-"

"I was attacked too." Amber cut across Caspian, by way of explanation, holding her arm out across the table and yanking up the sleeve of her dress, displaying her arm, wrapped in layers of fresh white bandaging that had just been replaced this morning, and would have to be replaced again tonight. "The night before last."

Caspian froze for a moment, his wide eyes glued to her outstretched arm. Finally, he exhaled deeply, letting out a gust of air. He stood abruptly and began pacing the room, his frown returned to his agitated face.

"You..?" Caspian looked her over, waving his hand in the air. "Why you? It doesn't make any sense." He looked away, looking infuriated. "This only confuses things more."

Amber nodded silently in whole-hearted agreement. She fervently wished that Edmund was here with her. He always knew what to do.

Unexpectedly, Caspian halted his pacing and suddenly planted himself back in the chair, leaning toward Amber, looking at her with an urgent expression.

"I need to know what she said to you, what she did, where you where, what happened." Caspian pleaded, looking at Amber beseechingly. "Tell me everything, anything, it all helps."

Amber's breath caught in her throat at the prospect of having to revisit the painful memories of that night again. She briefly considered chickening out, but under Caspian's pleading expression, she felt herself caving. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes as she allowed the reminiscences of that night to fill her mind.

"I...we were in a forest-"

"Which forest?" Caspian cut across her directly, grabbing a piece of paper and an ink pen, scribbling madly onto it. Amber quickly recognised his untidy scrawl as that of the handwritten notes she had just read.

"Which forest?" Caspian repeated, shaking Amber from her silent reverie. She started, frowned.

"Um, well, it was just...a forest...I don't know where-"

"Did it have any unusual physical characteristics? Any unusual trees, plants, rock types?" Caspian pushed, his eyes not moving from Amber's, who looked at him with a hint of incredulity. Did he really think she would have taken note of something as trivial as _rock types_ whilst being terrorised by the Green Lady?

"I could hear a river in the background..." she offered lamely, trying hard to remember, but also trying at the same time _not_ to remember. "I was in a clearing, with huge evergreens-"

"The Forbidden Forest." Caspian affirmed grimly, writing it down. "Same place as me..." he trailed off, wincing briefly before glancing back to Amber, regret written all over his face as he caught sight of her expression.

"Amber, I'm so sorry I have to do this. I know how hard this must be for you, to talk about it. It's the same for me, even now. I still have a hard time talking about it to people to this day." Caspian looked at her with genuine compassion in his eyes. "But I can't sit around and do nothing when it could happen again anytime, to anyone. I would never wish that experience on anyone. I need to find out all I can, so I can try to stop her somehow." His expression was filled with such avid determination that Amber began to feel ashamed of herself for sitting around and feeling sorry for herself, rather than actually doing something about it.

Caspian looked at Amber beseechingly. "So I need you to help me Amber, if you can."

Taking a deep breath and trying to clear her mind, Amber nodded silently at Caspian. However, she still found she was unable to stop herself from chewing her lip nervously as Caspian nodded in response, scribbling briefly on the page before looking back up to her.

"Thank you, Amber." He said earnestly, hesitating briefly before continuing. "Could you tell me what she said to you?" he inquired cautiously, watching her reaction carefully.

Amber closed her eyes, inhaling deeply as she recollected that night's events with a slight shudder. The way the Green Lady had looked at her with those ominous, threatening, evil eyes, her soft, dangerous voice, the way her sharp nails had ripped their way down Amber's arm...

"She said she'd get me too." Amber whispered, her voice breaking somewhere in the middle.

Caspian nodded slowly, encouragingly, writing this down. "And?" he probed.

Amber swallowed, trying to work her way past the fear "And...How I'd never save her-"

Caspian stopped writing abruptly, his head snapping up to look up at Amber in suprise. "Wait, what did you just say? She said you would never save her?" Caspian's eyes narrowed as he thought quickly over this. "That would make you the one selected to save...Breanne? The chosen one?" he looked at Amber, wide-eyed.

Amber froze, realizing what she had just given away. Caspian was right, but he couldn't know that, about her. That would give her away entirely. Then he'd figure out, that as the chosen one, she was really here to kill Edmund, the Son of Adam, to save Breanne, something that she had only figured out herself moments ago. And she couldn't be found out, not now. Breanne's life depended on it, whoever she was. She backtracked quickly.

"No...No...What I meant to say was...she said...she said I'd never save...myself. She said she was going to get me too, and that I wouldn't be able to save myself." Amber improvised quickly, her lies tumbling out.

Caspian frowned at this, going back to his page and crossing out the last two lines he'd written. "Anything else?" he asked.

Amber bit down on her lip indecisively. She had already given away far too much, more than enough. If she kept going, who knew what she would come out...She couldn't risk getting found out now. She looked apologetically at Caspian. "No." She responded simply.

Caspian looked at her for another moment before he sighed in obvious disappointment, placing down his pen and looking at the pathetic few lines he'd written down. He shook his head again, disheartened, and then he stood, making his way toward the door, in another world.

"Wait." Amber called quickly, standing. Caspian started, turning back to face her, hand on the door handle.

Amber held up the notes she held in her hand. "I...I wanted to ask you..."

Caspian sighed again, this time from weariness. "Yes?"

Nervously, Amber bit her lip again. "It's on the matter of...the prophesy. I...I mean, the person who is chosen to save Breanne. The prophesy says that I...the selected person...they won't be able to do it."

Caspian nodded in confirment. "The chosen one will be unable to kill the one who is to be sacrificed, because of unbreakable alliances with the one intended to be used."

Amber frowned, thinking over this. "Yes...but what exactly does that mean? What exactly do they mean by 'alliances'? I mean, are you _sure_ it's true?"

Caspian furrowed his brow in thought. "Alliances could mean anything. Family ties, historic circumstance, friendship, love..." he trailed off, shrugging. "There are a number of possibilities."

Amber nodded slightly in response, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach that came with this new bit of information.

"And, yes." Caspian continued. "The prophesies have never failed before, in the history of Narnia. It's highly unlikely they will fail." He said.

Amber sighed resignedly, still trying to figure things out. "So Breanne...will...die?"

Caspian shook his head instantly. "Not necessarily, no. It all depends on the 'chosen one'. Their will, their determination, how badly they want to save her, how strong their bond is with the one they have to kill for the sacrifice...but then again, there could be always be a loophole, maybe a way around it. Who knows?" He shrugged at Amber. "Was that all you wanted?" he asked, obviously wanting to leave.

"There's just one more thing, about Breanne." Amber said quickly.

Caspian nodded slowly, his eyes loosing focus as he gazed idly at the ceiling. "Yes, Breanne. She's been missing from the northlands for the past fifteen years, kidnapped by the Green Lady in 1854. I presume you learned from the notes that she wasn't the one who was supposed to be stolen."

Amber frowned at this. "Then who was?"

Caspian shrugged. "I don't know. The man who told me was half-drunk at the time, and chugging down even more gin as he was telling me the story. Apparently, a prophesy foretold what was coming, that the Green Lady was coming for this particular boy, as he was a Son of Adam. She needed his blood. But the boy's parents hid the boy, to protect him, and then, as punishment for defying her, she took Breanne instead."

Amber frowned, taking it all in. "Your notes said that the Aslan and the...White Witch are powerless against the prophesy. I wondering what she-they had to do with it, what they had to do with Breanne."

Caspian furrowed his brow, a thoughtful frown on his face. "Yes, I wondered about that too...but I couldn't find out much about it. The Northlanders are very private; they keep their affairs to themselves. But I did find out that they had all been linked with each other."

Amber frowned. "What do you mean? They were all related?" Amber exclaimed.

Caspian leaned back against the door, folding his arms. "I don't know about the White Witch. As I said, the Northlanders don't give away much. But from what I've heard, there was a direct relation between Breanne and Aslan. I've never asked Aslan though. I don't really want to." He frowned to himself.

Amber shook her head at this, baffled. "But I thought Aslan was a _lion_. How could that possibly make any sense?" she argued.

Caspian looked at her, slightly amused. "He was a man once, a powerful man." He told her, smiling to himself. "Just after I had been crowned the king of Narnia, he instructed me about how to manage myself, about knowing when to put you head before your heart, vice versa. He's always told me to put the ones you love first. He told me he'd learned that the hard way, from bad choices that ruined his family, his life, tearing it all apart." His smile disappeared, fading slowly as he continued. "At the end of it all, Aslan was left with nothing, left empty, void. Overflowing with anguish, he disappeared for some time and then returned as the Aslan we know him as today. He states now that he had far too much grief to possibly bear in his human form, and he turned into something that could bear it, contain it." Caspian shrugged. "Ancient magic."

Amber nodded slowly, her mind still swimming as she tried to process all this new information in her head.

His gaze refocusing, Caspian unfolded his arms and opened the door. "I know nothing more; I've told you all I know. What I told you about Aslan; keep it between me and you okay? No one else knows." He said warningly, his expression serious.

Amber nodded again in response, a million questions still buzzing her head. Who was Aslan's family? What had happened? Where was Aslan's family now?

"Is that all?" Caspian asked, halfway out the door, glancing over his shoulder at her.

_No._

"Yes, thanks." Amber said slowly, smiling half-heartedly, still unsuccessfully attempting to sort everything in her head.

Caspian sighed. "I know. Nothing makes sense." He smiled sadly, and shut the door.

_Got that right._


	17. Chapter 17

** D'aw i LOVE reviews. when i open up my e-mail and see the number of reviews in bold, it just makes my day. doesn't that make it sound like i have a sad life?:/**

** not long until christmas now! wahey!**

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Edmund POV**

Atop their horses, Edmund and Peter kept up a steady pace cantering through the Forbidden Forest behind the rest of the men, all keeping a careful eye out around them. But as it was late in the evening, darkness was creeping upon them, and it was becoming rather difficult to see anything. The evening gloom threw long, dusky shadows through the trees; creating weird, eerie shapes that made everyone think they were seeing things that weren't really there at all.

"Your highness, do you want to stop for the night now?" a guard called back from the front of the party, not asking this for the first time.

"No." Edmund snapped shortly in reply, before Peter could say anything. Peter shot him a disapproving glance, shaking his head as he sighed in exasperation. Edmund ignored him, focusing hard on not wandering off the nearly invisible trail in the darkness, and also trying to keep a sharp eye on the surrounding forest.

Edmund hated to admit it, but he was a _bit_...apprehensive.

_Okay, then. Very apprehensive._

Edmund had been in the forbidden forest countless times before in his life.

Just not in the dark.

Now, he was by _no_ means some paranoid, idiotic, frightened child, afraid of the dark. But he had to admit, the darkness did give an eerie edge to the forest, a feeling of blindness. He couldn't get the thought out of his head that he couldn't see anything, but that didn't mean that the things hiding in the trees couldn't see _him_. And who could possibly forget the possible presence of the Green Lady somewhere amid them, a thought that had become a constant, niggling threat on everyone's mind for the past six hours, weighing the men down, putting them on edge. Every rustle of the leaves on the trees, every crack of a twig on the ground, every hoot from an owl caused the men to start suddenly, their hearts thumping like mad as their head whipped around, searching anxiously in the darkness, thinking that the Green Lady was upon them.

There wasn't a person in Narnia who didn't know the stories about her, mostly which had been told by the one spy who, only recently, had barely made it out of the Forbidden Forest after an encounter with her. Edmund had visited the unlucky spy in the infirmary, and after seeing the state he was in, Edmund figured that he wouldn't live much longer. Edmund had a sneaking suspicion that the Green Lady had only let him escape her in that state to serve as a threat to others, a warning as to what she would do if anyone crossed her path.

And yet here they were.

But despite that, there was absolutely no way Edmund was giving up, or turning back, for that matter. He was doing this for Amber.

Edmund had never once seen Amber scared, strictly speaking. But after _that_ night's events, she had been absolutely downright terrified. She had been a holy mess. And that had scared the living daylights of out Edmund. He was so used to seeing Amber so level-headed, always in control, always confident.

Edmund couldn't deny the slight fondness he had for Amber. And that fondness then led to more feelings, like _caring_, and then _protectiveness_...which is why here was here now. Edmund vowed wasn't leaving this forest until he was done with whoever had dared lay a hand on Amber. He frowned determinedly.

Beside him, Peter raised an eyebrow speculatively. "Ed, we've been searching without rest for six hours _straight_. The men and their horses are far too tired to go on. Let them rest for the night, and we'll start fresh again tomorrow."

"Fine." Edmund replied shortly, still glancing through the trees, not sparing Peter a glance. "You stop. I'll keep looking."

Peter rolled his eyes in exasperation, sighing. "Stop being ridiculous, Ed. You can't go out there on your own. It's too dangerous."

Edmund kept Philip going at a steady pace, still not looking at Peter. "Watch me."

Peter groaned, his frustration obvious. "Really, Ed, you're impossible." He muttered angrily, calling to the guard and motioning for the party to stop and set up camp. Gladly, the guard relayed the message to all the men, who each pulled all their horses to a stop, sighing in exhausted relief.

Pulling the reins on Philip, Edmund stopped too, hopping off and patting him gently on the neck. "Thanks, Phil." He said, taking his sword from the saddle and fastening his to his belt around his waist.

"Gladly, your highness." Philip replied uneasily, watching warily as Edmund pulled his bow and arrow from their place on the saddle and tied his bow across his back, and then fixing the arrows in place beside it.

Peter slid off his own horse, looking at Edmund incredulously, his eyes disapproving.

"Come on, Ed. You _can't_ be serious."

Ready, Edmund turned to face Peter. "I'm perfectly serious, Pete." He replied simply.

Peter looked at him for another moment, before shaking his head in frustrated exasperation and turning back to his horse, taking his own sword and fastening it to his belt, and then proceeding to do the same with his bow and arrow.

"What are doing?" Edmund asked in confusion as he watched Peter prepare himself.

Peter turned back to him, finishing fastening his bow to his back. "I'm coming with you." He replied shortly, as though it were obvious.

Edmund frowned at this. "Pete, you don't have-"

"Ed, do you _seriously_ think I'm going to let my little brother go off into the Forbidden Forest by himself, in search of The Green Lady? No matter how _ridiculously_ stubborn he's being?" Peter said irritably, glaring at Edmund.

Edmund didn't even bother to reply, knowing better than to argue with Peter on the matter. Peter shot him one last glance, looking faintly narked, before he turned and began walking into the trees, quickly dissapearing into the darkness. Edmund followed hastily, not wanting to lose sight of him in the gloomy darkness.

Side by side, Edmund and Peter walked slowly through the trees, trying to see faintly through their pitch-black surroundings. There were no paths through the forest, only spaces through the trees, and Edmund tried to commit their direction to memory, without much success. They had been walking for around a half an hour when Peter suddenly spoke, sounding considerably more amiable.

"So, I take it you've got it bad, huh?" Peter asked Edmund, looking at him knowingly.

Edmund frowned, confused. "What?"

Peter chuckled quietly. "You know what I'm talking about." He replied.

Edmund could faintly see his smirk through the darkness, the moonlight shining down on them as they made their way through the trees. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Edmund said honestly.

Peter laughed again. "Sure. Do you really expect me to believe that?"

Edmund stopped, shaking his head in bewilderment. "Seriously, Pete, what are you on about?"

Peter stopped too, looking back at Edmund with a mischievous smirk on his face, a knowing look in his eyes. "Oh come on, Ed. You know you're whipped. Why would we be here otherwise? Just for the fun?"

Edmund thought over this briefly, still not understanding, until, suddenly, it clicked.

_Amber._

_Oh._

Edmund rolled his eyes, feeling his cheeks warm slightly. He was suddenly grateful for the darkness, so Peter couldn't see his red cheeks. He started walking again, steadily ignoring Peter, who was watching his reaction with obvious delight.

Peter laughed loudly as Edmund passed by him wordlessly. "See? You can't deny it!"

Edmund stopped again, whirling around to glare at Peter. "I'm not denying it!" he exclaimed defensively, and then realised his mistake, a moment too late, as Peter smirked victoriously.

"So you do like her!" Peter concluded, smirking wickedly.

"No I don't." Edmund replied reflexively, his face straight.

"You don't like Amber?" said Peter, eyebrows raised

"No. Wait, I mean yes, I do like her." Edmund fumbled, frustrated.

"So you like her like her, yeah?" Peter said, trying to stifle a laugh as he watched Edmund grow more and more agitated by the second.

"Yes. Wait, no!" Edmund was thoroughly confused now.

Peter let out the laugh he had been holding in, and began walking again, passing by a very bewildered Edmund. "Yeah, you've got it bad." He confirmed with a pleased smile as he walked by.

Edmund looked after him for a moment, at loss for words, before jogging quickly to catch up with Peter. "I do _not_ have it _bad_ for Amber." He snapped as he reached him.

Peter just winked jokingly at him, still walking on. "Right. That's why you're with her at every second of the day, you're so protective of her-"

"I am _not_ protective of her." Edmund snapped, cutting across him defiantly.

"That explains why we're here." Peter raised an eyebrow.

Edmund paused, opening his mouth and then closing it again, struggling for words. "I...I..."

"Have nothing to say?" Peter finished Edmund's sentence for him, smiling. "Took the words right out of your mouth, didn't I?"

Edmund stiffened, narrowing his eyes at Peter. "I am here to ensure the safety of my people." He said coldly.

Peter snorted. "Didn't see you running into the forest when the last spy came out of here in the state he was in." Edmund opened his mouth in suprise, ready to defend himself, but Peter interrupted him before he could even try.

"Yet, when Amber is hurt, you have half the army out here, on a suicide mission. Now, try and tell me you don't like Amber?"

Edmund closed his open mouth, not quite sure what to say to that.

"I thought so." Peter said smugly, after a minute with no response from Edmund.

Edmund still didn't say anything, unable to think of anything intelligent to reply with. So instead he silently walked on in silence, deep in thought. Was it _that_ obvious that he liked Amber?

_Well, obviously._

Edmund knew that he liked Amber. He was by no means stupid, and he most certainly wasn't in denial either. But he didn't want Amber to know how he felt for her. He didn't want _anyone_ to know. As far as Edmund was concerned, the fewer people that knew about this, the better.

It wasn't that he was _embarrassed_ about liking Amber. Hell no. How could he possibly be _embarrassed_ about liking her? Amber was...perfect, just perfect. Edmund couldn't think of any suitable words that would do her justice. Who wouldn't fall for Amber? She was simply beautiful, all round. She was brilliantly different from all the other girls he had ever met, and not to mention the only girl, or just the only person in general for that matter, who had the honour of saying they had kicked King Edmund in the balls. She made him laugh, she made him happy. She could probably make him cry too, and most likely would too, if Edmund kept going the way her has. Edmund couldn't think of any one word to describe her. 'Perfect' would have to do, but in his opinion, it didn't even come close. But that was the thing. Edmund knew there was another thing that couldn't ever come close to Amber.

Himself.

_I'm not good enough for her._

Sure, he was a king. Most women found him 'handsome'. He was renowned on the battlefield for his deadly precision. But he was a 'handsome', deadly king that had foolishly betrayed his country, his people, everyone, and all just for bloody Turkish delight.

Edmund felt that he had earned himself a reputation that he could never make amends for, a reputation that he would never be able to dispose of, a reputation he could never, ever redeem himself for. In his opinion, it was a reputation he deserved.

So that was why Edmund didn't want anyone to know his feelings for Amber. Amber could never feel the same way. Who would? It just wasn't possible.

And right now, he and Amber were good friends, and that was good enough for Edmund. He considered himself lucky just to have Amber as a friend, especially seeing as she still wanted to be friends, even after he told her about his shameful past. If she knew how he felt about her, it would only ruin the friendship that he valued so much.

"You know, for the record, I think she likes you too." Peter offered suddenly, his voice thoughtful.

Edmund snorted disdainfully. "What gave you that impression?" he scoffed.

Peter frowned to himself, although Edmund couldn't see in the dark. "I don't know...Just...everything. It's obvious." Peter shrugged, unable to put his finger on it.

Edmund shook his head resignedly. "She'd never feel the same way." He muttered despondently.

Peter looked at Edmund disbelievingly, his eyes confused. "Why ever not?" he exclaimed.

Edmund sighed wearily. "You know why." He said quietly, looking at the ground.

Peter looked at him in confusion, wondering what Edmund could be talking about. Then suddenly, his face dawned in realization as it hit him what Edmund was referring to. And after that, it was anger.

"Ed, you _can't_ be bloody _serious_. You-"

But the sudden distant sound of clanging metal caused Peter to quickly close his mouth, as both his and Edmund's heads snapped in the direction of the sound. A faint light was glowing dimly through the trees ahead, a weak hue that both Edmund and Peter had failed to notice during their heated discussion.

Peter looked sharply at Edmund, who nodded shortly. Beginning to walk forward slowly in a crouched position, they both drew their swords as quietly as they could, ready for anything that might come.

Creeping up a small incline, the trees began to thin out and the sound of clanging metal, voices, and shouting became clear. The light was growing, allowing Edmund and Peter to dimly see what was ahead of them. They could both see the verge up ahead of them, and what seemed to be a large drop below, which seemed to be where the light was coming from. Due to the newfound light, Peter and Edmund could finally see each other properly, and see the confused, wary expressions on each other's faces.

Coming close to the edge of the verge, they both paused. Peter the nodded again at Edmund, in 'silent communication' mode, and they both dropped to the ground, crawling forward until they reached the edge of the verge, and they could peer down over the drop.

Below them was a massive clearing, dug deep into the ground, spreading as far as their eyes could see. It was lit up by burning fires randomly spaced out across the expansive space, giving off a large amount of light and heat. Tents were dotted everywhere around the clearing, like a frame of sorts, as far as both could see, with people running to and fro between them. Further behind all the tents, Peter and Edmund could see that nearly all the trees in the area had been chopped down, judging from all the stumps sticking awkwardly out of the ground. And they could see that in the bare, empty clearing, the trees where being used to make giant...weapons..., as far as Edmund could see. Narrowing his eyes, Edmund could make out what looked to be a huge catapult of some sort, with countless people atop it, all working, hammering, nailing, and yelling to one another, with thick accents that Edmund couldn't make out.

"What is this?" Edmund whispered, looking around in worried confusion.

In the centre of the clearing, there was a small wooden stand, on which stood a tall, tanned, bearded man, surrounded by a huge gathering of on looking people. Edmund frowned at the sight of him. He looked familiar, somehow...He was gesturing wildly with his hands, speaking to the listening people. Craning his ears, Edmund could just about make out what he saying, despite the thick accent.

"Two days! Just two more days, and then we fight back against the Narnian's, fight back against Aslan, and punish them all for this discreditable humiliation they have pushed upon us! Just two more days, and we will rise again, as one! Just two more days, and together, we will rebuild the Telmarine Empire!" he pounded his fist in the air, as he finished his rant. His voice was thick, throaty, with a slight accent, much like Caspian's.

Edmund frowned. This all felt too familiar, like he'd been here before...and he knew that man, from somewhere...he recognised his accent. And he'd seen those weapons used before, by the Telmarines...

_The Telmarines!_

Nudging Edmund, Peter pointed beyond the trees to the left of the clearing. His mind racing ahead, Edmund's gaze followed the direction Peter had pointed in, squinting as he tried peer through the branches. His stomach dropped when he caught sight even more tents stretching for what appeared to be miles through the forest, and to the right, another large clearing had been stripped of trees, and now vast groups of men were what seemed to be mock battling with what looked like swords, firing with arrows, and running laps around the clearing.

"Just two more days!" the man shouted again, earning a roar of approval and excitement from the large crowd of people listening.

And when they raised the Telmarine flag, Edmund remembered exactly who the man was, but still struggled to place a name on him. _The guy with the beard...one of Lord Miraz's men...oh what the hell had his name been?_

"Miraz's right hand man." Peter muttered grudgingly from Edmund's side, recognising him the same instant as Edmund had. Peter frowned in thought. "I can't remember his name...Nevertheless, this isn't good..." his frown deepened, worried brows creasing his forehead.

Edmund sighed agitatedly. Peter was right.

_This wasn't good._

**Amber POV**

Later that night, Amber sat out on the balcony that was outside her bedroom, deliberating deeply, whilst keeping a sharp eye out over the courtyard, waiting worriedly for Edmund and co to return home. With each minute that ticked passed, Amber's insides turned uncomfortably with worry. Where were they? They had been gone all day, with no sign of return. It was well into the night now. They had to come home soon.

Today of all days, Amber could have used Edmunds shrewd approach to life more than ever. She and Caspian had not spoken once throughout the rest of the day after her startling discoveries that morning. It was just too...weird, uncanny, and bizarre. The odd similarities between herself and Caspian in their appearance had been enough to confound Amber in the first place, but after the disturbing revelations from this morning, it had only made things more awkward.

Amber hated feeling confused and uncertain, just to name a few. At the moment, she was feeling both confused and uncertain, which was only adding to her already foul humour. She liked being in control, being sure of herself. Everything had to add up. And inside Amber's head, things weren't adding up. Nothing was clicking together, as it should. Nothing was making the slightest bit of sense.

"Amber?"

Amber turned in her seat to see Aetak standing in the open glass doors that lead out to the balcony from her bedroom. Amber glanced over, eyeing her carefully. Scowling, Amber ignored her and turned back around in her seat, looking out over the town surrounding Cair Paravel instead.

"You seem better." Aetak stated, walking quietly over, plopping down beside her, her head still reaching Amber's shoulder, even though she was sitting.

Amber snorted in response. Aetak should know better than anyone how good she was at that sort of thing, hiding her feelings, covering her emotions, keeping a constant straight face, no matter what. Yesterday morning however, that careful mask had slipped. But under the unusual circumstances, Amber had written it off. It was nothing but a minor slip-up. Everything was hidden inside now, under an air of casualness, as if the incident had never happened. It was better that way, for everyone. Amber did not want to appear weak in any way.

"I hear Edmund went in search of the Green Lady." Aetak continued, her voice casual.

Amber frowned slightly at the reminder. Edmund had been gone all day, and he still wasn't home. What if something had happened to him? She knew she shouldn't be worried about him at all, but she was, unbelievably so. The mere thought of Edmund going anywhere near that...monster, made her feel sick to the core. Her stomach twisted uncomfortably again.

Amber had been raised to laugh in the face of fear, to scorn the enemy, spit in the opponents face. And she had never had a problem with that, up to now.

Amber realised now that she had never truly experienced _fear_. The type of fear that was constantly leered around the fringes of your mind, the type that had you constantly looking over your back, the kind that sent cold chills creeping up your back, the type of fear that made you just downright _scared_, afraid, _terrified_.

Amber had never felt such panic, horror and terror, and now they all came at her all at once. The experience was draining, exhausting. She had never before been through anything like this in her entire life. The confusion, uncertainty, the feeling of being constantly on edge, always on the brink between a frail veil of normality and pure demented madness, was incredibly unsettling. Amber felt like she was having an out of body experience, the type where you're hoping desperately that it's all just a bad dream, hoping that you're going to wake up soon and breathe a hefty sigh of relief, and laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.

But the most horrible part was that Amber knew all too well that this wasn't just a dream that she was going to wake up from and laugh about it, because even though the whole situation seemed unbelievably ridiculous, there was nothing at all to laugh about.

"Maybe," Aetak continued indifferently. "The Green Lady will do your job for you. Save you the hassle."

It took Amber a minute to figure out what Aetak meant by that. And when it sunk in properly, Amber's jaw dropped in furious shock, and she turned immediately to Aetak, aghast.

"Aetak!" she exclaimed, her voice conveying her horror.

Aetak faced her evenly, with an eyebrow delicately arched, her face disapproving. "What?" she replied artlessly.

Amber opened her mouth to retort, and then closed it again, not exactly sure of what to say.

What on earth would Aetak think? What would she say if Amber told her that after countless hours of lying awake, tossing and turning repeatedly whilst contemplating and mulling and reflecting and arguing with her inner self until the early hours of the morning, Amber had finally come to the conclusion that she liked Edmund?

In a romantic way, she might add.

This wasn't good. This was most definetly the exact _opposite _of good. Amber wasn't happy with it, but she really couldn't help herself from feeling attracted to Edmund. Who couldn't fall for Edmund? Even just the mention of his name made her cheeks flush. To say he was incredibly handsome would be the understatement of the century, although it was undeniably true. With his tall, well built body, striking pale skin, alluring brown eyes, and that messy dark hair that framed his perfect face, Edmund had the majority of the female population of Cair Paravel going absolutely stark, raving mad for him. But for Amber, it wasn't just his attractive looks that drew her in, even though they had helped hugely. It went further than that. Edmund knew how to push her buttons, how to drive her absolutely mad, how to lead her to tears, how to make her laugh uncontrollably until she had tears running down her cheeks and her sides hurt, how to comfort her, reassure her, make it all okay again with his infectious smile, how to make her feel like the happiest person in the entire world, like she was on top of the world, how to make her head spin, how to make those damn butterflies go _poof _inside her, and cause her stomach to flip, in a lovely, delightful way...

"Amber." A reproving voice shook her from her distracting thoughts as she stared out at nothing, the smallest of smiles pulling at her lips. "Please, explain to me, as I can't understand, how you came here with the instruction to kill Edmund, but you've gone and apparently fallen him?"

At this, Amber's eyes became as wide as saucers as mouth flew open, nothing coming out. Amber found herself at a loss for words, absolutely speechless, nothing coherent to say in response. The only thing running through her head was '_busted'._

"No! Me? Fallen for Edmund? Me? No! No...Me? I don't, I mean, no, me? That's, that's just crazy talk-"

"Oh, come off it, Amber. Do you _honestly_ think I'm that stupid?" Aetak scoffed, rolling her huge eyes as she did so. "Just listen to yourself. How can you possibly deny it? You and Edmund spend every possible moment together, you never shut up about '_Edmund this'_ and '_Edmund that'_, you're forever gazing at him, even if you don't realise it yourself...and now you're sitting outside in the middle of the night, in the bloody _freezing_ night air, in the temperature of minus fifteen degrees, waiting for him to come back. And you say you don't like him, no?" Aetak raised an eyebrow questioningly.

Amber firmly shut her mouth, pressing her lips together to prevent anything slipping out. God know if she said anything, she would just undoubtedly set herself up for even more humiliation, dig herself into an even deeper hole than she had already landed herself in. Amber sat back in her seat, bringing her knees for her chin to rest on, wrapping her arms her knees, silently pondering.

This silence continued with Amber staring silently out over Cair Paravel, whilst Aetak sat wordlessly by her side.

"The prophesy says I won't be able to do it." Amber muttered suddenly, not moving her gaze.

Aetak froze at this, her head slowly turning in Amber's direction, with her large eyes narrowed into slits.

"What did you say?" Aetak said in a low, even tone, almost touching on something akin to a growl.

Amber avoided Aetak's piercing stare, keeping her gaze focused out over the town instead, concentrating on all the twinkling, glittering lights. "The prophesy says I won't be able to kill Edmund due to 'unbreakable alliances'." she quoted quietly.

Aetak appeared to be the one left speechless now, as she stared at Amber in dazed horror before laughing shakily, her eyes narrowing. "Amber, what are you talking about? What prophesy? You know, I think you should go to bed. You must be overtired or-"

Amber stood abruptly, her mouth set in a thin line, nostrils flaring in obvious anger as she glared down at Aetak, who was staring back in obvious suprise.

"Aetak, I'm _done_ with the lies now. Do you hear me? _Done_." Amber hissed heatedly. "What do you know that you're not telling me? What have you been keeping from me?"

Aetak stood also, her fur bristling in anger. "Amber, what has gotten into you? What are you talking about?" she retorted angrily, her face a mixture of anger and uncertainty.

"You know_ damn_ well what I'm talking about!" Amber cried, frustrated. "You've just managed to hide it pretty damn well up to now!"

Aetak snorted indignantly, her face furious. "I have absolutely _no_ idea what you're talking about." She snapped in reply, her voice steely.

Amber folded her arms, scoffing as she did so. "No? So you had absolutely no idea that I am '_The Chosen One'_, the one supposed to save Breanne from the Green Lady by killing Edmund? And you had absolutely no idea that apparently, I won't be able to do it, according to the prophesy? Were you every bit as clueless as I was, Aetak?" she looked expectantly at Aetak, her eyebrow raised questioningly.

Aetak's teeth flashed as she grimaced angrily, glaring at Amber with enraged eyes, absolutely livid.

"Where did you here this?" she hissed, her eyes boring into Amber.

"I came across it in Caspian's library. He then had the courtesy to explain the rest to me, unlike _some_ people." Amber snapped back.

Instantly, the furious look vanished from Aetak's face, wiped clean and replaced immediatly with an expression of shocked horror. "_Caspian_ knows?" she whispered, her voice disbelieving.

Amber narrowed her eyes, glaring at Aetak. "Knows what, Aetak?" she responded with mock innocence.

Upon receiving another death glare from Aetak, Amber dropped the act. "Yes, Caspian knows everything."Amber spat resentfully. "He was attacked, too." Amber scowled as she saw Aetak stare at her in open-mouthed dismay. "Why are you asking? So you _are_ keeping secrets from me?" she demanded angrily.

A flash of irritation crossed Aetak's face as she glared at Amber. "I am keeping_ no_ secrets from you that you need to know about." She said shortly.

Amber snorted in disbelief, laughing bitterly. "Is that just your way of saying that you're hiding things from me that you don't want me to know?" Amber snorted again. "So you honestly thought that I didn't need to know about this? Don't you realise how huge of an effect this has on _everything_? The huge effect it has on _me_? And you thought _I didn't need to know_?" With every sentence, Amber's voice was rising higher and higher, yelling as she pointed accusingly at Aetak.

For Amber, the expression on Aetak's face said it all. Shaking her head in disgust, Amber whirled around and marched back into her bedroom. Aetak immediatly followed her, exasperation.

"Amber, stop being unreasonable." She commanded.

Amber halted abruptly, turning on her heel to angrily face Aetak, enraged. "Don't you _dare_-"

"_Listen_ to me." Aetak growled, cutting across her. "Put the prophesy _out_ of your head. Forget about it, do you understand? It all a bunch of pathetic _lies_. It's nothing. Absolutely _nothing_. So nothing is stopping you from killing Edmund, apart from yourself." She said firmly, finality ringing in her voice.

Amber looked at Aetak, incredulous and disbelieving. "Stop _lying_ to me!" She exclaimed in exasperation.

Aetak snarled in response, her eyes flashing. "I'm not _lying_." She retorted.

"Yes you _are_!" Amber snapped. "Stop playing games with me! How _stupid_ do you think I am? I'm not falling for them anymore, Aetak! I've seen your lies myself, just today! And I've had _enough_!" she began pacing her room, irate, her arms twitching at her sides, itching to throw something, hit someone. She stopped suddenly, turning to face Aetak again, pointing a finger accusingly. "So, seeing as you're going to start being completely _honest_ with me, starting from _right now_, you can answer some of my questions. _Why_ do you want me to kill Edmund so badly? What's Breanne to _you_? No, more like who the hell _is _Breanne?"

Aetak visibly stiffened, an unreadable expression masking her face. She didn't say anything in response, simply staring evenly at Amber, her expression empty, eyes careful. After a minute of waiting, it became clear to Amber that Aetak had no intentions of answering her question.

"I thought so." Said Amber bitterly, shaking her head in disdain. "More secrets. More lies. Why am I not suprised?"

"I think you've taken this just about far enough, Amber. You have _no idea_ what you're talking about. Drop it." Aetak snapped coldly, her voice dismissive.

Amber could feel herself shaking with anger, her knuckles turning white as she curled them into fists, restraining herself from lashing out, which she had the intense urge to do so. Never before in her life had she felt this intensely infuriated. Grinding her teeth in a vain attempt to calm herself, she walked stiffly to the door; gripping its handle tightly and yanking open the door in one swift movement. She then turned to look at Aetak expectantly, holding the door open.

"You were just leaving?" she said icily, venom creeping through her voice.

Aetak looked at Amber disbelievingly. "What?" she exclaimed incredulously, looking like she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Amber nodded tightly, her hand still gripping the door handle with a fierce grip. "You can come back whenever you're done lying to me." She said coldly, unyielding.

Aetak stared at Amber for a long moment, her face still shocked as she deliberated. After what seemed like hours, she padded slowly toward the door, glaring at Amber as she stalked out. At the last moment, she turned around, but Amber slammed the door in her face angrily before she could say or do anything.

_Screw this._

**DON DON DON.**

** SO.**

** WHAT DO YOU THINK?**

** no, really, what do you think? press the review button below and tell me(:**


	18. Chapter 18

**HAPPY LATE CHRISTMAS!**

**AND...**

**HAPPY NEW YEAR!**

**2011...do you think i could get 2011 reviews? just for the fun?**

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Jadis POV**

Jadis moved silently, swiftly, stealthily under the cover of the evening dusk, weaving cautiously through the trees of the Forbidden Forest in a half crouched position, with Goren and two other members of her personal guard close by her her side. Her eyes flickered left, right, above, below, behind, straight ahead, keeping a careful eye out through the trees as she gripped her staff tightly in her left hand and a spear in her right, raised and ready for action if need be.

As they warily made their way through the trees, all kept watch vigilantly for the enemy. With that uncontrollable rage was still boiling and bubbling inside her, Jadis was a woman on a mission, not planning to leave until she was done, deterred by absolutely _nothing_.

Sure, what she was doing wasn't exactly part of the whole plan, or written (or included) in the rules, but to be quite honest, Jadis didn't give a toss. She couldn't _take_ it anymore. The Green Lady had gladly taunted her endlessly, mercilessly, for the past _fifteen_ years of her life, knowing well that Jadis was unable to do anything in response. She was helpless, powerless to do anything to stop her. But Jadis had reached her last straw. She had had _enough._ She was sick of sitting around at home, knowing all too well what her daughter was going through, but not being able to do _anything_ about it. So whether or not she was allowed, she was going to do _something_, anything. She _had_ to.

Sending Amber in to complete her task wasn't enough anymore; Jadis hadn't heard anything from her in the past three months. Hell, she didn't even know if her daughter was bloody well _alive_. The prophesy was a constant worry on Jadis's mind, nagging away at her, and lately, she had begun to doubt herself, a thing she hated more than anything. Sure, Jadis had tried her best to raise Amber as best as she could for her task, but now she was beginning to wonder if that was enough anymore. She hadn't wanted to tell Amber the truth, thinking it would be too much for her. Her task would be easier without any added pressure. But now, she had to wonder. Maybe if she had told Amber what was at stake, what was to lose, would things be happening differently? Quicker, maybe. Things needed to move quicker here. In this case, everything was reliant on time. And time was something they didn't have a lot of.

"Jadis." Goren whispered suddenly, urgently, shaking her from her thoughts, his whisper sounding like a shout in the middle of all the silent emptiness.

Jadis spared him a quick, disapproving frown. "Not now, Goren." She hissed, moving forward slowly, keeping a watchful eye around her as she did so.

Goren shook his head desperately, his face deeply pained. "No, Jadis. Look." He pointed ahead, his finger shaking.

Sighing exasperatedly, Jadis looked impatiently in the direction he pointed in. And when she finally saw what Goren had pointed out to her, her mouth dropped open in horror, disgust, and shock. The list could go on, and on.

Directly ahead of her, was Gythern, the spy that had last been sent into the Forbidden Forest just a week ago. Unfortunately, he wasn't in the...best...of conditions...

Gythern was attached to the tree in front of them, pinned to the trunk by a spear driven straight through his chest and lodged in the tree trunk behind him. His clothes were ripped to shreds, hanging in tatters, exposing the deep, bloody wounds covering his grey body beneath his shredded clothes. His body hung limply, a few feet off the ground, a puddle of dry, dark blood settled beneath him. Rivers of dry blood trailed down his arms which dangled loosely from his blood-spattered body, covered in gashes and wounds that had lumps of black, dry, crusty blood surrounding them.

His face had the most gruesome aspect of it all. Like the rest of his tortured body, his gaunt face was covered with countless wounds and deep gashes, stretching from one side of his disfigured face to the other, some exposing the bone underneath. His mouth was hanging open, his bottom lip slit clean in half, dried blood sticking in clumps around it. His empty eyes were still open, glassy, white fluid oozing from his eyes, mixed with the blood of his burst eye vessels. Just above his head, the initials _GL_ had been carved scratchily into the tree, marking her territory, her work.

_The Green Lady._

"Well, I don't mean to _brag _or anything, but I must say when I do something, I don't do it by halves. What do you think?" A smug voice called from nearby.

Jadis's head snapped to the right at the sound of the familiar voice, and she snarled at the unfortunate sight of the Green Lady herself, leaning against a nearby tree, smirking menacingly as she eyed Gythern's dead body approvingly, before looking back to Jadis with a wicked smile.

"I never got to find out why he was here. Was he here to check up on me? Or rather to check up on _her_, perhaps?" she questioned innocently, her eyes lighting up in fiendish amusement.

The corners of Jadis's mouth pulled back in a vicious sneer, and she tightened her grip on her weapons, still remaining silent, refusing to give the Green Lady what she wanted.

"You're a _fool._" The Green Lady laughed mockingly, when Jadis didn't answer. "A complete and utter _fool._ You know as well as I do that it's _not going to happen_. Amber will never be able to save Breanne. She's not _strong_ enough." She taunted, shaking her head pitifully.

Jadis narrowed her eyes; glaring at the person who had become her own personal demon with such loathing, such hate, she was sure she could kill her with her own two bare hands. "I wouldn't be so sure of myself if I were you." She spat venomously.

The Green Lady laughed airily again, much to Jadis's dislike. "Oh, but Jadis, _trust_ me. You_ would_ be sure of yourself if you were me." She said maliciously, sounding proud. "I am aware of _everything _that you've planned, that you're planning now, what you might plan tomorrow...I have to be, you. I wouldn't expect you to understand Jadis, but in this game of ours, I am _always_ two steps ahead. _Always._ Don't doubt me on that. Another difference between you and me? I don't take risks._ You_ did. You _have_. Amber has been in Narnia for how long now? _Three_ months?" she said meaningfully, her question not requiring an answer. Jadis didn't move in the slightest, not twitching an eyelid, refusing to respond. The Green Lady smirked knowingly, continuing.

"And you know what, Jadis? Guess who was here, in my forest, today?" her eyes glinted evilly as she smirked at Jadis. "King Edmund! Yes, Jadis, King Edmund was here today, in the best of health, not a mark on him, looking for _me_, apparently. Still _alive_! Imagine that!" the Green Lady's hand flew to her mouth in mock suprise, eyes wide as she smirked wickedly.

Jadis couldn't keep her face straight this time. Shock and then the aftermath of fury crossed her face momentarily, before she quickly recollected herself, resuming her usual, trademark expression of cold indifference.

_Three months_. Three whole months, and Edmund was _still_ alive.

"Isn't that a good enough hint, if there ever was one?" The Green Lady asked haughtily, snorting as she did so. "You know, Amber is exactly like you. What do they say? Like mother, like daughter?" she raised an eyebrow delicately. "Well, that statement applies here more so than anywhere else. Like I said, _she's exactly_ like you. So stubborn, so obstinate, so determined. You'll probably be pleased to know that she hasn't given up on herself yet. As I said, she's persistent." She rolled her eyes carelessly.

Jadis didn't say anything, struggling to stay in control as she seethed inside. Another thing she _loathed_: when _nothing went to plan_.

And right now, _nothing _was going as planned.

"Maybe, before I rip her heart out, I _might_ let you see Breanne for the last time." The Green Lady laughed arrogantly.

A furious roar escaped Jadis as she promptly lunging forward with her spear outstretched, her control having snapped. Hastily, the Green Lady straightened, whipping a sword from beneath her skirts and thrusting it toward Jadis as she came atop her. Both met in the middle with the scraping clash of metal. As she fell back, Jadis felt the Green Lady's sword quickly slit the side of her face, and then the warm blood came rushing out. Immediatly in response, she thrust out her spear, driving it into the Green Lady's thigh, before pulling it back almost instantly, ready to attack again. Snarling at each other ferociously, both their weapons met in the middle for the second time. Grimacing with the pain of their fresh injuries, they both glared at the other with narrowed eyes whilst pushing against each other with as much force as they could muster.

"Keep going, by all means." The Green Lady breathed viciously, her chest heaving heavily as she drove her sword against Jadis's spear. "You're only helping me win."

Glaring loathingly at her for a long moment, Jadis shoved her back with all her might, before reluctantly dropping her spear as she took in deep breaths, grimacing at the Green Lady, who smirked cockily at her.

"This isn't over." Jadis spat breathlessly.

"I should hope not." The Green Lady replied spitefully.

Glaring at each other for another short moment, they finally began to back away from each other slowly, a few small steps at a time, never once taking their eyes off each other, both of their faces still bearing scowls. Reaching a thick thicket of bushes behind her, the Green Lady snarled viciously at Jadis once more, before turning abruptly and ducking beneath the bushes, dissapearing instantly. Jadis stood still for a moment, still staring at the space where her sworn enemy had stood just seconds ago. Her breath was ragged as she still breathed heavily, blood running down the side of her face.

_I'll get her, someday._

The trouble was that 'someday' that she was desperately waiting for wasn't coming soon enough.

**Amber POV**

When Amber woke the following morning, she found that she was still in foul humour. All of yesterday's mind-boggling events had stayed with her throughout the duration of the night, keeping her awake, tossing and turning for hours. And just when she had _finally_ managed to find sleep, it seemed she had been woken up just seconds later all because of that godamn Narnian sun yet _again_, as it blared brightly through her window.

Aetak hadn't returned, and to be quite honest, Amber wasn't one bit suprised. If she remembered correctly, she had told Aetak not to return until she was done lying to her. And seeing as Aetak didn't appear to want to tell the truth to Amber just yet, Amber was guessing she wouldn't be back for awhile yet.

Last night had been a bit of a shock for both of them. No, forget a bit, a _huge_ shock for them both. She and Aetak had never, ever fought like that ever before in her life. Sure, they had had their preppy little arguments about stupid little things or teasing little bickers about nothing in particular, but it had never been anything serious. Nothing of the scale of last night. _Nothing_ like last night.

Amber couldn't help but feel pissed off about the whole thing. Having had an isolated childhood, not being allowed play with any of the other children and spending nearly all her time stuck in the training yard pretty much twenty four-seven, Aetak had been Amber's closest and only friend. Aetak had been the first one to congratulate her when she hit her first target dead centre for the first time, the one who had been the first to praise her when Amber won her first mock joust, the one who was always there to pick Amber up in her huge, sharp teeth and delicately drag her to the infirmary when she had been injured, the one who had always stayed up all night at her bedside anytime Amber had ever been unwell, the one who was always there to comfort Amber through the bars of the cold, dark, dingy dungeon that her mother always confided her to when she had ever doing_ anything_ that Jadis didn't approve of...the list went on, and on, and _on_.

So it was no wonder that Amber felt so incredibly furious that Aetak hadn't bothered to tell her the real reason she was here. She had been playing along, lying to Amber the _entire_ time. Amber couldn't understand it. She and Aetak had _always_ openly shared everything with each other. Why not this time? And why had her mother lied to her? She had told Amber that she was to kill Edmund just because of a personal grudge she bore him, and that she couldn't take care of it herself.

But more importantly, why had she bothered sending Amber at all if she knew that the prophesy claimed she wouldn't be able to do what was asked of her? Did her mother think she was strong enough to overcome something unchangeable, something set in stone?

Amber sighed in frustration, burying her head in her pillow. Aetak had been there with her, that day, when her mother had informed her of her tasks to be completed in Narnia. Now, Amber knew all to well that it had all been empty lies, but now she also knew that Aetak had been perfectly aware if that at the time. But hadn't said anything, not once.

And that led to the feeling of betrayal too. Amber had genuinely valued the close relationship she and Aetak shared, but now she had been led to wonder whether there was _any _friendship or any relationship there at _all_. And if there was, did it mean anything at all to Aetak?

_Apparently not._

**XXX**

As Lucy had apparently gone to visit old friends of hers, and Susan was in town shopping for new material to decorate yet another room in the castle, Amber was left to eat breakfast by herself, surrounded only by the countless servants who were still milling about the Great Hall, still cleaning up from the ball earlier in the week.

It was hard to believe now that it had just been a week ago. Now, it seemed like years...

When she was done, Amber rose from her seat, leaving her dirty dishes on the table for some servant to clean up. She began to make her way outside, with the intention of heading out to the stables to see if Edmund had returned yet, which she hoped he was.

Stepping out into the main courtyard, Amber vacantly noticed how packed it was yet again, as it was teeming with crowds of people, all working busily at dismantling the stands from yesterday's markets, and generally just cleaning up the mess left behind. A few stands were still standing at the top end of the courtyard, offering products that hadn't sold yesterday at a cheaper price. Vendors were standing a few feet out from their respective stands, shouting in hoarse voice, holding their merchandise above their heads, hoping to catch the few shoppers that were strolling around.

Her previous intentions forgotten, Amber picked her way through the people, making her way over to the few remaining stands. She went straight to the first stand, picking up some handmade pottery that caught her eye. She twirled it around in her hands, marvelling at the texture, the exquisite painting, the fine detail. The Kings and Queens were painted all over the clay piece, their stick figures painted delicately and precisely.

Everyone, including Amber, stopped all of a sudden and looked up intriguingly when a group of men on horseback suddenly clattered through the main gates at full speed. Not slowing in the slightest, they heading hastily in the direction of the stables. Amber caught sight of Edmund and Peter leading the party, and judging by the expressions on their faces, neither seemed very happy.

They disappeared almost as quickly as they had come, vanishing around the corner, the sound of the horse's hooves echoing after them. Frowning, Amber negligently abandoned the piece of pottery that had just had her undivided, fascinated attention just a few mere seconds ago. Burning with worried curiosity, she began to walk hastily toward the stables, worrying inwardly about what could possibly be wrong.

Her hasty walk having developed into a worried jog, Amber reached the stables just a minute or two later. The guard was unusually absent, so walked straight in, striding quickly down the main aisle, stopping uncertainly when she reached the fourth turn off.

_Shit._

_Was it the fourth? Or maybe it was the fifth..._

The increasing sound of tense, frustrated arguing shook Amber from her thoughts, as it came from the next aisle down.

"...Need to get in there _tomorrow_."

"But what about-"

"We haven't got _time_..."

Edmund and Peter suddenly whirled around the corner, both faces mirroring the other, as they looked extremely stressed, harassed, and apprehensive. Upon seeing Amber standing unsurely before them, they both stopped abruptly, quickly ending their irate quarrel.

"Amber." Peter greeted, his weariness coming through in his voice. "I would stay and talk, but I can't." He explained shortly, glancing despairingly at Edmund. "I'll get the officials. Be in the board room within fifteen minutes." He continued quickly down the aisle, nodding at Amber as he brushed past her.

Amber looked after him for a moment, and then turned back to Edmund, who was standing with his eyes closed, his face exhausted as he rubbed his forehead drowsily. Inwardly, she checked him all over for any cuts, bruises, whatever, any sign of any sort of injury of any kind. When she saw nothing, Amber frowned with concern. What could be the matter then?

"Ed? What's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

Edmund's eyes snapped open with the sound of her voice, like she had woken him from a trance. He smiled a barely-there smile at her. "Nothing's wrong." He replied quickly, his pathetic attempt at reassurance failing entirely. He must have realised that, as he smiled briefly at her again before turning and walking away in the opposite direction.

Amber scowled indignantly at the cheek of him just snubbing her like that. Folding her arms angrily, she marched after Edmund, cutting in front of him and stopping him in his tracks, delivering him her best death glare.

"Don't just walk off on me!" She snapped crossly.

Edmund frowned lightly, running his hand through his unruly hair, a sure sign that something was _definetly_ bothering him. "Did I? Sorry..." he trailed off distractedly, looking idly at the space above her head.

Amber tried again. "Ed, what's wrong?" she persisted, her arms still folded.

His eyes flickered back to hers again, as if suddenly realising that she was there. "What? Nothing, nothing. Everything's fine, absolutely perfect, awesome." He replied absent-mindedly as he stepped around her, making his way to the back entrance.

Amber rolled her eyes irritably, following behind, and then jogging alongside him to keep up with his large strides. "Come off it, Ed. Seriously, what's up? What's bothering you?" she asked earnestly, noting how every one step he took meant to steps for her.

Edmund simply shook his head vaguely in reply, still walking toward the back entrance, like he hadn't heard her.

Stopping abruptly, her cheeks flushed indignantly. "Edmund!" Amber snapped angrily.

Edmund stopped also, turning to face Amber with alarm on his face. "Huh?" he said dumbly.

Amber rolled her eyes again, planting her hands on her hips. "Were you even listening to a word I said?" she exclaimed, exasperated.

Edmund looked at her uncertainly for a moment, his eyes taking in her expression cautiously. Then suddenly, the fakest, sunniest smile you could ever see crossed his face, and he reached out, enveloping Amber in a tight bear hug, lifting her right off her feet and swinging her around in a quick circle before dropping her back on her feet, slightly taken aback.

"Yeah, I missed you too Ambs." He smiled apologetically.

Amber shook her head in disbelief. "I didn't say anything about missing you!" she exclaimed.

Finally, Edmund actually smiled a proper, genuine smile. "So you _didn't_ miss me?" he gasped with mock horror, pouting theatrically.

Amber was caught up short on that one, unsure of what to say in response, not sure whether she should answer honestly or not. Upon seeing her hesitant pause, Edmund sighed exaggeratedly, putting his hand over his heart. "I thought so." He said miserably, his face the perfect picture of the utmost sorrow, apart from his amused eyes. Once again, he stepped around Amber and continued on.

Amber quickly followed him, grabbing his elbow and turning him to face her again. "Of _course_ I missed you, you _idiot_." She snapped defensively, her cheeks reddening slightly as she did so.

Immediately, Edmund frowned, his eyes narrowing to slits. "What did you say?" he questioned, sounding absolutely horrified.

Amber felt her cheeks turn an even _darker_ shade of red (if that was possible) as she tried her very hardest to look anywhere but at his intense gaze. "I...I said that I...I missed...you..."

Edmund shook his head urgently at that, his eyes not leaving hers. "No, _after _that." He persisted.

Amber frowned, puzzled, thinking back over what she had said. "I didn't _say_ anything else." She concluded, confused.

Edmund shook his head again, his eyes accusing. "Yes you _did._"

Amber folded her arms, frustration mounting. "No, I _didn't_." She argued. She had just confessed to _caring for him_ by admitting that she had missed him while he was gone. In her books, that was _big_. That was _important_. And it most _certainly _wasn't supposed to get a response like _this_. No, come to think of it, it hadn't gotten any sort of response at _all_!

Edmund imitated her actions, folding his arms like a little five year old. "Yes you _did_." He said shortly, raising an eyebrow. "You called me an _idiot_."

Amber was stumped. Edmund kept staring at her, his eyes amused, his defiant expression daring her to deny it. And watching in his indignant expression, Amber just couldn't help herself and she collapsed into a fit of giggles. At this, Edmund rolled his eyes playfully, smiling amusedly at her and giving her another quick hug. As he wrapped her briefly in his arms, Amber inhaled his addictive smell that she had so badly missed and ached for in the past day or two.

"By _no_ means am I an idiot. And for the record, I missed you too." He chuckled quietly, releasing her and walking on again, but this time he let Amber keep up with him.

"So." She Amber began hesitantly, as they walked on. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong now?"

Immediately, Edmund's face clouded over with that worried expression again. He sighed resignedly, as he glanced carefully her way, his eyes apologetic.

"We didn't find her." He said regretfully, his gaze concentrated on the ground, counting the steps he took like they were the most interesting thing in the entire world.

Amber's stride faltered at the mention of _it_. Regained her stride quickly, she searched desperately for something, anything to say in response. "Oh?" she managed finally, her voice unnaturally high.

Edmund inhaled deeply, stopping abruptly and turning to face her, his expression full of regret, frustration, sadness. "We searched the _entire_ day yesterday, all around the forest, but we couldn't find a single_ trace_ of her. I'm so sorry, Amber." He sounded annoyed at himself, his face a picture of remorse.

"No, no, it's ok." Amber said quickly, taking his hand in hers reassuringly. She didn't know whether to feel wholly relieved or utterly terrified. She felt relieved because on one hand, Edmund had thankfully avoided a confrontation with the Green Lady, meaning he was safe, but on the other hand, she was terrified at the fact that Green Lady had escaped them, and was still out there _somewhere,_ watching, waiting.

_I'll get you too._

Edmund frowned determinedly. "No matter. She's not going to get _anywhere_ near you anyway." He said fiercely, looking her in the eye.

Amber nodded wordlessly, at loss for words. Edmund sighed again in obvious frustration.

"I'm so sorry, Ambs." He repeated regretfully.

She shook her head mutely, words still escaping her. It was better this way, anyway, Edmund not getting involved. There was no need whatsoever for him to get hurt in any way, especially not because of her.

Gently, Edmund released his hand from Ambers, and began walking toward the back exit again. Amber slowly kept up with him, her head spinning.

"Don't worry Amber, please." Edmund implored over his shoulder. "Look, we're having a few problems at the moment. We just found out that those damn Telmarines are going to attack tomorrow, and that has to be dealt with first and foremost." He reached the large wooden door, and leaned against it forcefully, shoving it open. He held it open for Amber, taking hold of her elbow as she passed, looking at her with a serious expression.

"But don't worry Amber, once that is dealt with, I'll go back. I'll go back again, and again, until she's gone." Amber could see the determination in his eyes. "I'll do _anything_ to make sure you're safe, Amber." He finished fiercely, gazing at her momentarily with suck intensity that it shook her from her head to her toes. And then he released her, and continuing on his way.

Amber stared after him shock, absolutely no rational thoughts running through her head.

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	19. Chapter 19

** HELLO ALL(:**

** my apologies for the slow updates. i've no excuses, so i'm not even going to go there(:**

** HOW WAS VALENTINES DAY? let me put this out there; i'm single. a single pringle.**

** however, valentines day has seemed to become 'singles awareness day'. and i've realised that there are 90 pringles in a tin. so pringles aren't that single.**

** as in, pringles are getting more than i am;)**

** although, amber is almost getting more than the pringles in this chapter!**

** okay, okay, i know what you're think. shuttup with the pringle crap and get on with it already. right(:**

** on we go...**

**Chapter Nineteen**

**Amber POV**

Amber sat awkwardly, positioned in the seat between Edmund and some strange official she didn't know, wringing her hands awkwardly. The board room was silent, so silent that you could hear a pin drop. And the tension was so thick it could have been sliced with a knife.

The atmosphere of nervousness and frustration was a sight that was repeated right around the huge oak table that dominated the centre of the room. Susan, Peter, Edmund, Lucy and all other members of the royal guard were sitting quietly, wordlessly, with worried and frustrated expressions on their faces. Every so often, they glanced at the empty chairs at the head of the table with irritated expressions on their displeased faces.

The gigantic oak doors suddenly flew open, and Caspian marched in, followed by three other members of the royal guard. They immediatly took their seats around the table, muttering apologies as they did so.

"My sincerest apologies for holding you all up." Caspian said briskly, as he seated himself at the head of the table. "I was held up with some...issues that needed taking care of. Would someone mind briefing me on the current situation as it stands?" he asked.

Peter cleared his throat. "Telmarines have been gathering in numbers, and are planning to attack Narnia tomorrow with a large, armed force." He said shortly, sitting back in his seat.

Caspian raised an eyebrow, his eyes thoughtful. "Do you know how many?"

Beside Amber, Edmund shrugged. "We didn't investigate further. We couldn't. As we only had a few men with us, it would have been futile to challenge them. But if they've managed to get together even half the ranks they previously had, their army would be more than large enough to pose a threat to us."

Caspian nodded slowly, contemplating. "And you're sure that they plan to attack _tomorrow_?" he asked.

Peter nodded grimly in response. Around the table, most of the officials looked at each other frantically with worried expressions.

Caspian frowned, running one hand idly along his jaw, his expression thoughtfully. "And do we know exactly when, where, how...?" he raised his hands questioningly.

Peter shook his head, shrugging. "As Edmund said, we couldn't get in there, get any information. All we know is what we heard from, which we've already told you all." He said apologetically.

Caspian remained silent for a moment, looking down at the table as he briefly considered. He then inhaled deeply as he looked up from the table, leaning forward in his chair to address everyone. "Well, it appears we have two choices." He stated, looking around the table.

Peter nodded in agreement, sitting forward as Caspian had. "I suggest we ambush the Telmarine army tomorrow, as they are on their way to attack us."

Edmund sat forward too. "Or, we could go attack right now. Take them suprise."

Caspian nodded at that. "I agree with Edmund. Attack is the best form of defence."

An official at the bottom end of the table put up his hand in protest. "Your majesty, we are not prepared." He protested.

Before Caspian could respond, Edmund looked down at the man disapprovingly. "My lord, I hope, for _your_ benefit, you are not suggesting that the troops we entrusted you with are unable to act upon demand in a crisis, as they are required to?"

The official immediatly dropped his hand, closing his mouth as he reddened.

"If that is the case, my Lord, it appears you are not training your men to the high standards require here in Narnia, as is required of _you_. In that case, I'll see to it that a more capable man takes your post." Edmund said dismissively, dropping the matter and returning his attention to the current predicament, leaving the man open-mouthed and humiliated.

Peter looked at Caspian and Edmund. "We could catch them by suprise tomorrow aswell. And that gives us more time to prepare." He argued.

But Edmund was already shaking his head. "But _they_ will be better prepared tomorrow too. And as they will be on their way to attack us, they will already be fully armed and prepared for battle. If we go now, they won't be prepared. They won't be expecting it." He pointed out.

Susan, sitting opposite Edmund, nodded in agreement. "Pete, he's right. The odds are more in our favour if we attack right now. We have the crucial element of suprise."

Another official, sitting beside Caspian, hesitantly raised his hand. "Your majesties, would it not be wiser to wait in the safety of Cair Paravel and-"

"Are you mad?" Edmund exclaimed incredulously, cutting across the unlucky official. "Have you ever seen a Telmarine army? Their sheer size, their lethal weapons, their byzantine tactics? They'd have the town destroyed in _no_ time if we simply sat here, like sitting ducks! Sure, in that case, why don't we just hand Cair Paravel over to them altogether?" Edmund snapped furiously.

The official's face reddened slightly. "Your highness, I just...maybe...well, we don't know for sure..."

Edmund snorted. "So we just leave it to chance? I'll tell you what, why don't we pull straws?" he said scornfully.

The official huffed, embarrassed. "What of your spies, King Edmund?" he spat. "What good are they doing if they didn't see this coming?"

Edmund abruptly stood, looking angrily at the lord. Amber's eyes widened in suprise, but Peter, Susan and Lucy simply sat back and waited, as if they been through this a million times before.

"So this is all _my_ fault, you're saying?" Edmund seethed, looking angrily at the nervous lord, whose moment of braveness seemed to have disappeared as quickly as it had come.

"N-no, your majesty-"

"For your information, my _lord_," Edmund said, sneering. "We found the majority of our spies _dead_ in the forest, during our time there. You know just as well as everyone else here about the current situation we have in the Forbidden Forest, or do you?

The officials face flushed indignantly. "Of course I do your highness."

Edmund looked at him contemptuously, shaking his head, whilst taking his seat again. "Yes. It seems you know everything, right?"

"Edmund." Susan reprimanded in a bored tone.

"So, my lord, seeing as you know everything, what do you suggest we do?" Edmund continued with his tone bordering on insultingly polite. "You want us to sit it out? You want us to say 'oh, to hell with it. You know what; Pete and I probably heard the Telmarines wrong anyway. Maybe they were just gathering to have a big hippy fest. What are we so worried about? They won't come near us'." Edmunds voice was dangerously calm, an indicator of how mad he really was.

The official opened his mouth, and then closed it again, looking rather like a fish. Looking on silently, Amber bet he was wishing he'd never opened his mouth in the first place. Edmund had a tendency to do that to people who were pissing him off. "Well, I wouldn't say sit it out..." he said carefully.

"Well what would you do?" Edmund snapped, looking livid. "Seeing as you're so _full _of _wonderful_ ideas! Should we just assume they won't attack, and leave it, until they actually turn up at the gates to invade? What do we do _then_?" he looked expectantly at the quivering man. Edmund then laughed bitterly. "I can just imagine your reaction. 'Oh, hold on! Can you give us a minute or two? We weren't expecting you!' Edmund rolled his eyes as he finished his rant.

The official sank back in his seat, looking utterly defeated, and his face reddening in humiliation. Edmund shot him a scornful look, shaking his head in utter disdain.

Caspian nodded. "Edmund's right. Sitting out is _not_ an option." He said forcefully, looking directly at the official in question. "We_ can't_ let the Telmarines anywhere _near_ the castle. Not only does it put us at a disadvantage, but it also puts the lives of our citizens in danger, and we are working to _prevent_ that."

Amber tried to hide her smile, despite the current situation. She found Edmund's outbursts and his scathing remarks in buisness matters to be incredibly amusing. His cool, composed and commanding nature gave him such power over everyone, making them respect him, as he left them squirming. She admired him for that.

"So that's settled then?" Susan asked.

Edmund nodded. "It's the better option, in terms of taking them by suprise, which gives us an advantage. As Caspian said, the best form of defence is attack."

Caspian nodded along with him. "We'll ready the troops right now. Tell them to be ready in a matter of hours to set off."

Amber frowned, raising her hand. "Can I suggest something?" she asked tentatively.

Everyone turned to face her, some faces suprised, some faces scornful. "What would _you _know?" the official from earlier said incredulously.

"A lot more than _you_, apparently." Spat Edmund. "Now shut your mouth, before you lose your place altogether. You've annoyed me just about enough today." He turned back to face Amber, smiling faintly. "You were saying?" he said apologetically, smiling encouragingly.

Amber shot the loudmouth official her best death glares, before turning to face everyone in general. "If you attack tonight, you still have the element of suprise, and it gives you more time to prepare too. And it gives you another slight advantage. Slight, but every little helps, right?" she continued as a few faces nodded in agreement. "Edmund and Peter say they've settled themselves in a deep clearing, lit by fires. So you could attack from the ridges above, all around. Spread the fires; crowd them out, turn the whole thing into chaos. The night-time with help, as they won't be able to see what they're doing once it's dark." She pointed out.

Most around the table were looking at her incredulously, admiringly, whilst Edmund was looking at her with a smug smile on his face, his expression proud, something that made Amber's heart swell with happiness. Winking at her, he turned back to the official that had previously insulted her, who was staring at her, dumbfounded, speechless.

"You wouldn't happen to have anything better than that, my lord, would you?" Edmund asked complacently,

The official looked furious, scowling at Edmund. "No, your majesty." He muttered politely.

Edmund looked back at Amber, smiling widely, while she stifled a laugh.

"Well, I guess that's sorted, then." He stated, laughter ringing in his voice.

**XXX**

Just over an hour later, Amber stood in the middle of her room and looked despairingly around her.

If there was one thing Amber hated more than anything, it was the feeling of not being in control, the feeling of being disordered, incompetent. It just confused her and put her off track, distracted her, put her out of focus.

Amber liked knowing she was on top of things, knowing that she was in fully in control, aware of everything. Having everything orderly and organized helped contribute to Amber's focus. And right now, that wasn't the case. And right now, of all times, she needed to be focused.

It had taken her almost the whole hour to prepare herself for the expedition, finding suitable clothes to wear, and choosing the right weapons to bring, if the need to defend herself arose. And it had only taken her tad bit longer than usual. Okay, a 'tad' was a 'tad' bit of an understatement. But it was all due to the atrocious state of her room.

In her defence, she had been pretty distracted lately, what with mental attacks, shocking revelations, fighting with Aetak, productive board meetings...her distractions meaning that her bed had been left unmade for the past four days, the pillows spread everywhere, the sheets hanging off her bed in disarray. Yesterday's clothes were crumpled in a heap at the foot of her bed, and the previous days clothes were in another pile at the side of her bed, having discarded them thoughtlessly. It would have done no good to put her clothes back in the wardrobe anyway, as that was no better condition. The wardrobe doors had been left wide open, clothes strewn on the floor leading the way in to the jumbled shelves, stacked with piles upon piles of fabric all jammed in on top of each other.

The build up of the uncontrollable chaos made it harder than usual to find what she had been looking for, but Amber had refused to let that get the better of her. She was nothing if not prepared, nothing if not thorough. Somewhere in the clutter known as her room, she had successfully managed to find a thick undergarment to put on underneath her clothes, to protect her from the cold night air of Narnia. She then had her custom made leather shields, made back home in the Northlands, fixed around her thighs and lower arms. Somewhere in the midst of her shambolic wardrobe, she had found a deep green coloured dress, to blend in and go unnoticed. True, brown would have been better, but Amber really didn't feel like that going around in a dress the colour of shit. And besides, it had taken her long enough to find a decent coloured dress. Green would have to do. There was _no_ way she was going in that wardrobe again.

And handily enough, she had succeeded in tearing a straight line down the right hand side of the dress, from just below the waist down, giving herself quick and easy access to a hidden belt underneath, which would hold her back-up dagger and blade, if the sword attached to her waist failed. And if all else failed, she had her trustworthy bow and arrows attached to her back. As a precaution, she had leather gloves on her hands, for warmth and protection. And for practicality, she had her long hair pulled back into a high ponytail, with a few locks refusing to comply with the elastic band and instead hanging around her face.

After deeming herself ready, and also coming to the unfortunate conclusion that she had no time to tidy the mess, Amber grabbed her thick, black woollen cloak from her chair. She then quickly left her room, closing the door firmly shut behind her.

Yes, Amber would have to label herself as a _bit_ of a control-freak. Little things out of place annoyed her to _no _end, and it was just in her nature to want everything absolutely _perfect_. But quite simply, she didn't have the time to sort her sorry room out, unfortunatly. Heck, she hadn't even found time to find Aetak and let her know she was going. Despite the fact they were both already pissed off at each other, it would only anger Aetak even more when she found out that Amber had run off without telling her. And even though Amber was extremely mad at her, she didn't want them to be on worse terms than they already were.

But like she said, she didn't have enough time. The Narnian army was leaving for the Forbidden Forest in a matter of minutes, and seeing as Edmund was more than reluctant about letting Amber accompany them, she wanted to be there on time. She wouldn't put it past Edmund to purposely leave her behind.

Edmund had implored Amber to stay behind in Cair Paravel mainly because of the threat of the Green Lady, and her supposed current residence in the Forbidden Forest, unfortunately the exact place they were heading. Edmund had repeatedly stressed that he didn't want her 'within a million miles of that monster', and had also stated that he wouldn't be able to look after her while he was fighting.

Amber had indignantly retorted that she was perfectly capable of looking after herself, thank you very much, and that he had also previously promised that she would be allowed accompany them on their next 'hunting' expedition. And after pointing out that seeing as more than half of Cair Paravel seemed to be participating in the ambush, she would be more vulnerable left pretty much _alone_ in Cair Paravel, rather than in the Forbidden Forest, with everyone, Edmund had finally, and rather grudgingly, agreed.

Amber also had her personal reasons for going. Last time Edmund had been gone for just over a day, she had gone just about stir-crazy. This whole 'caring for someone other than yourself' thing was proving to be rather draining, she had decided. But she couldn't help it. It wasn't like she wanted to care about Edmund. She just _did_.

And that also corresponded with the fact that Edmund being away, or fighting, or being involved in any sort of potentially dangerous activity that could possibly harm him, made Amber feel rather nauseous. She knew it was ridiculous, her worrying about him constantly, like some lovesick puppy. But as she had said, she simply couldn't help it. But Amber figured that maybe she could help in one area, that perhaps going along with him, and placing herself in danger too so Edmund might be that bit safer, had to be of some assistance, right?

_What am I thinking? _

For crying out loud, she was supposed to _kill_ the guy, not worry endlessly for his safety, and most especially she was not supposed to even consider _fighting _for him.

_I should really just let him go alone, and hope he coincidentally gets stabbed, or something._

Who was she kidding? She knew well she wouldn't be able to let that happen. She was also far too aware of the fact that she was too far gone in the whole fiasco. The whole prophesy thing had just confirmed it for her, and now it handily served as an excuse for her. Amber was not one to lie to herself.

Taking the steps two at a time, she quickly descended the large staircase and sprinted through the hallway for the main door, shoving it open and rushing outside. Suprise, suprise, the first thing that greeted her was the scorching Narnia sun, which caused her to groan and squint, shielding her eyes as she descended another set of steps. She jogged across the bustling courtyard, manoeuvring her way through the many servants who were busy as usual, running to and fro from the castle and the stables. They had been hard at it all afternoon, carrying food, military and other supplies to the large congregation of the royal lords and officials who had gathered at the main gates into the castle. Behind their gathering, assembled in neat, organized rows (much unlike her room), and standing as still as death, was the Narnian army, in all its glory. Reducing her jog to a walk, Amber took the time to look over them admiringly as she ambled toward the main gates. The vast sea of armoured men positioned at the head of the army were standing poker straight, swords and shields in hand, and then behind them, stretching for what seemed to be miles, were men atop their horses, covered in shiny armour, shields and swords also in hand. Many soldiers proudly held up the Narnian flag, which bore the 'almighty' lion Aslan. Amber smiled slightly, a familiar knot of excitement growing in her stomach, the feeling she always got when she was going to battle. It had been a while since she had had this feeling, and she loved it. She loved going out to battle; she loved the exhilarating thrill of it, the anticipation, the excitement, the tension...it had been _far_ too long since she'd felt this way.

"You ready?"

Amber's head snapped around to see Edmund looking at her disapprovingly, his lips set in a thin line, arms folded as he stood in front of her, holding his sword loosely in one hand.

Amber sighed inwardly. _I wish he'd stop being so difficult..._

"Yup." She said cheerfully, patting her encased sword lightly, looking back at Edmund with her sunniest smile. "I have everything I need. So, I'm ready when you're ready!"

Edmund frowned reproachfully at her. "Have you got a shield?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, glancing over her.

Amber narrowed her eyes slightly. He was just bloody well _looking _for excuses to make her stay home.

"No." She replied honestly. "I don't want one. It slows me down." She shrugged.

Edmund sighed censoriously, shaking his head. "How are you supposed to defend yourself?"

Amber folded her arms like Edmund. "I'm _well _able to defend myself, Edmund. _More _than able. So cut the crap, cos you've seen me fight. You're just being ridiculous at this stage. Now, did you get me a horse, or am I walking?" she asked nonchalantly, stepping around him.

He quickly blocked her step, unfolding his arms and grabbing her shoulders as he looked at her beseechingly. "Seriously, Amber, this is a bad idea-"

She shook off his arms angrily. Did he not want her with him, or something? Was that what this was _really_ about? "Would you rather I stay here, _alone_?" she snapped.

"_Yes_." Edmund spat angrily. "You're _safer_ here. Trust me, Ambs, the further away you are from that thing, the better."

Amber shook her head defiantly. "I'm not safe here. I'm not safe _anywhere_, Ed. In case you have forgotten, she attacked me right _here_, just the other night." She responded bitterly.

Edmund looked despairingly at her, running his hands through his unruly hair. He opened his mouth, about to say something, but then seemed to think better of it, turning back to Philip and adjusting his saddle angrily. Amber sighed wearily, wondering why the hell she liked this asshole, of all people.

"I just don't want you to get hurt, okay? Is that such a bad thing?" Edmund said angrily, turning back to face her, a weary expression on his face.

_I think that's why I like this asshole..._

"Ed, come on." She said reassuringly. "I'm _not_ going to get hurt. I can look after myself."

Edmund looked at her dubiously, shaking his head again, and turning back to Philip again to fiddle with his tack again. Amber groaned exasperatedly.

"Ed..."

He didn't respond to her, still messing around with Philips bridle, unfastening the bit, and then fastening it again.

"_Ed..."_

He still ignored her, moving on to Philips reins, lengthening them, and then proceeding to shorten them again. Sighing in defeat, Amber walked up to him, and cut between him and Philip.

"Edmund." She said pleadingly, looking up at him, absentmindedly realising how _brown_ his eyes were...

"What." He replied shortly, his eyes not meeting hers.

Taking a new approach, Amber tentatively wrapped her arms around Edmund's waist, pulling herself closer to him, burying her face in his chest. She felt him stiffen at her unexpected display of affection, and then his stance softened slightly, and he slowly, hesitantly wrapped his arms around her, enveloping her in his warmth.

"I'm not going to get hurt." She mumbled into his chest. In fact, it sounded more like a muffled "I'm mot moing oo get hut".

Edmund sighed resignedly. "Fine. Okay. You know what; you can do whatever you like. What I say doesn't seem to make a difference anyway."

Amber looked up worriedly, resting her chin on his chest, but smiled in relief when the corners of his mouth pulled up an exhausted smile as he looked down at her. "Joke." He said quietly.

Amber smiled wickedly. "No, you're right. What you say doesn't make a difference." She teased.

Edmund rolled his eyes theatrically, still smiling. "Yeah, I've noticed."

They both laughed slightly, the atmosphere suddenly changing as Edmund looked down at Amber and Amber looked up at Edmund, the laughter slowly trailing off to nothing. They each looked at the other silently, both noticing the change. Suddenly, all the humour and lightness was gone, replaced with unexpectedness, hesitance. Neither dropped their gaze, both staring at each other, almost questioningly, hesitantly, with Amber's arms still around Edmund's waist, and Edmund's arms around her own waist too.

And then, almost imperceptibly, Edmund's head tilted to the left and he leaned down slightly, hesitantly, like he was asking permission.

And the atmosphere changed again, changing from uncertainty and hesitance to anticipation, both now aware that _something was going to happen_.

Amber's breath caught in her throat, and any thought in her head was completely forgotten as Edmund _inched_ closer to her, him being the only thing in her mind. Reflexively, her eyes fluttered shut and she stood on her tip-toes, leaning up, closer...

_Oh God. I can smell him. He smells...gorgeous...minty, woodsy..._

They seemed to be standing there for hours, days, years, decades, but really it was only mere seconds. Amber felt his breath tickle her face, his lips mere millimetres from hers, her heart skipping a beat as she succumbed and allowed herself to be taken over by his intoxicating smell. She felt drunk almost, high, on cloud nine. She felt Edmund's arms tighten around her waist, pulling her so close she could almost taste him, could feel the heat radiating from him, as his lips moved to close the infinitesimal gap between them and-

"_Ahem_."

The arms around her waist disappeared suddenly, causing Amber her to fall forward as Edmund jumped back. Two strong hands grabbed her waist and steadied her. She glanced up dazedly to see Edmund looking down at her with concern, before he quickly let go of her again, as if she had burned his hands.

Amber didn't feel quite so drunk anymore. It was more like the hangover had hit her early. As she took in a gulp of air to steady herself, she felt an aching pang for the comforting smell of Edmund she had enveloped herself just a mere second ago. Taking a deep breath, she realised she preferred that to air.

"Whenever you two are quite done?"

For the first time, Amber noticed Peter standing a few feet off them, smirking knowingly at them. She glanced back at Edmund, who was steadily avoiding her gaze, instead looking at Peter with an unreadable expression on his face.

And then it hit Amber. Not the type of realization that went like 'Oh, I _see_ now!'

No, more like the type of realization where it hits you in the sense that you feel like you got hit full force by a bus, and then you sadly realize '_Oh_. I see now.'

_He regrets it._

_He doesn't want me._

_He doesn't like me._

Rejection washed over Amber, the worst pain imaginable. Of all the injuries Amber had ever received in battle, all of times her mother had hurt her in some way, or even the Green Lady's attack on her the other night, this feeling of rejection had to be by far, the worst pain of all. It was a ridiculously cruel thing: Amber felt utterly humiliated, and then utterly pathetic, and then utterly, completely broken, on both the inside and outside, and then the same emotions repeated all over again. It was like a cycle inside, a cycle that bloody well _hurt_, and hurt even _more_ as it began its cycle yet again. And once again, as it had just a minute ago, Amber's breath caught in her throat, but this time, it wasn't a good feeling.

"We're leaving now." Peter stated, still smirking, an amused twinkle in his eye. "Just letting you know. Sorry if I interrupted anything." He bit back a laugh, winking suggestively at Edmund, who glared steadily at Peter, a bone working in his jaw. Peter smiled widely, before turning and walking away.

They both stood there for a moment, uncertain of what to do or what to say or should they do anything or should they say anything? And then Edmund stepped around Amber and began fixing the stirrups on Philips saddle yet again.

"Uh, yeah, you were asking...and I uh; I didn't get you a horse..." Edmund trailed off awkwardly, running his hand through his hair again, glancing around to look vaguely her way.

Amber remained silent, rejection still stinging like hell inside her, like a fresh wound. Her eyes felt warm, and moist.

_Oh NO. I CAN'T cry. I can't cry. No, I WON'T cry. I won't cry. I won't cry. I won't-_

"So, I uh, I guess you could ride with...with uh..." Edmund trailed off uncertainly, scratching the back of his neck.

Amber silently willed him to try somehow to save this dire situation here at hand, to prove she was wrong, and make everything better, make everything okay.

"-with Peter, or Caspian, or whatever." Edmund finished finally, sighing wearily, avoiding her gaze.

_Okay. That didn't make anything better, or make anything okay._

**WHAT DID YOU THINK?**

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	20. Chapter 20

**Well.**

** I had the most amazing weeekend ever. **

** I WENT TO SEE TAYLOR SWIFT ON HER SPEAK NOW TOUR!**

** she was absolutely freakin amazing. enough said. i could go on, but i won't. **

**Chapter Twenty**

**Edmund POV**

_Shit._

_Shit, shit, shit._

He had ruined _everything._

And he had never even gotten anything out of it, to make up for the fact that he had RUINED IT.

_SHIT._

Hadn't it only been just _yesterday_ that he'd convinced himself it would be absolutely pointless to even try to go for Amber? He had well established that his despicable past wholly prevented him from doing just that. And so, it would be better for both of them to maintain the satisfactory friendship they already had.

Was he _really _that absurdly _weak_? Was he lacking _that_ much in willpower? That upon mere contact with Amber, his resolve completely crumbled? One simple embrace entirely dissolved his resolution? Because it sure seemed to look like that...

In all honesty, he probably should have expected it. But then again, Edmund had never known exactly what to expect with Amber. She was so godamn _unpredictable_.

One minute, he had simply been standing there, arguing with her about her staying behind in Cair Paravel, for safety reasons, much to her obvious disgust. Next thing, she was wrapped around him, and he had simply caved, _just like that_.

To say her deep hazel eyes were alluring would be the understatement of the century. It also wouldn't do as an excuse, even though it had had a large part to play in his process of 'caving'. After one glance at her, with her captivating brown eyes, her smirking mouth, had been enough to make him lose complete control of himself, and he leaned down with the intention of capturing her soft lips in his, as he had been yearning to do for quite some time now.

And he'd been _so_ close, so _godamn_ infuriatingly close. The feel of her breath on his skin, her enthralling scent wafting toward him, the mere _closeness_ of her...all he could feel was want, desire, and_ need._ He wanted her, needed her, so badly, in that particular moment.

And call him crazy, but a nagging, hopeful voice in the back of his head kept saying that _maybe_, possibly, perhaps, Amber _might_ have wanted him, maybe even needed him too, even just slightly.

_She closed her eyes. _

_She leaned in too._

Edmund knew all too well that he was reaching, but what else could he do? Peter was right. Edmund had it bad, and he needed all the bloody help he could get.

_She didn't pull away._

That was his only consolation, his only saving grace, the only thing preventing him from going absolutely demented right now. When Peter had interrupted them, Edmund had quickly come to his senses like a bomb dropping to the ground, realised what exactly he was doing, and with who exactly. The first coherent though that ran through his head had been _what am I doing? As if_ _she would kiss someone like me! _The humiliated expression she had bore afterwards had confirmed exactly that for him.

_Shit._

His own humiliation afterwards had been almost unbearable, cursing through him, providing him the desperate need to escape from her company as soon as possible, before it killed him, so he could go hide under a rock or something akin to that. What else could he do? He had most definitely ruined their friendship irreversibly with the stunt he had very nearly pulled. In Amber's company, knowing this, and knowing that they could never be more than friends, that being if she ever _wanted_ to be friends with him again, was much too hard for him to bear. He was far too aware of the fact she didn't want him, when he suddenly needed her so badly.

_What a shithole._

"Are you still thinking about the girl?" Philip suddenly said, breaking the silence.

Edmund started in suprise, tightening his hold on Philips reins. He had barely taken notice of anything as they made their way to the Forest, too caught up in his own head. "Unfortunately, yes." He replied dejectedly.

Philip remained silent for a moment, apparently thinking deeply. Edmund took the time to attempt to clear his head, focusing only on the rhythm of Philips hooves going _clip_ _clop _on the dirt trail that lead the way to the Forbidden Forest.

"Please excuse my curiosity, but may I ask you something, your majesty?" Philip said suddenly, interrupting Edmunds flow of thought.

"Go ahead." Edmund replied indifferently.

"Do you like the girl?"

Edmund sighed despondently. After their many years of comradeship, Philip seemed to know him inside out.

"Yes." He replied honestly.

"How much?"

"Far too much." Edmund muttered desolately.

Philip lapsed into a thoughtful silence, considering what Edmund had said. After a moment, he spoke again, sounding rather baffled.

"Your majesty, I'm sorry to bother you, but-"

"No worries Philip."

"-if you like the girl as much as you say you do, why did you snub her so rudely earlier?"

Edmund sighed miserably. _Yes, why the bloody hell did I do that?_

"I did something incredibly stupid, Philip." He replied wretchedly.

Philip snorted. "I am sure your highness exaggerates." He objected.

Edmund felt a sad smile pull at the corners of his mouth. In all the years he'd known Philip, his horse had always, without fail, constantly reminded him of how much he thought of him. Even on one the many days when Edmund would let his temper get the better of him in the courtroom and rudely storm out, Philip would always reassure him and calm him down as Edmund went out for a long ride to blow off the steam. Philip gave him much, much more credit than he deserved.

"Philip, you think far too highly of me."

"I should think _not_!" exclaimed Philip. "I think as highly of you as one of your honour and standard should! It is _you_, your highness, who thinks far too lowly of _yourself_."

"Just because I'm a king doesn't give me the privilege of being labelled 'honourable' and of 'high standard'."Edmund protested.

Philip snorted again. "My majesty, I would brand you honourable and of high standard without as much as a thought to your place in royalty." He stated indignantly.

Edmund chuckled softly. "Many thanks Philip, but even those you deem to be 'honourable' and so on, can majorly muck up." He pointed out sadly.

"If you please, Edmund, do tell me this major 'muck up' of yours, and let me be the judge of whether it is, as you say, 'stupid', or if it is stupid at all." Philip argued.

The smile instantly disappeared off Edmund's face. "I almost kissed her." He said quietly, perturbed with himself.

Philip remained silent for a moment, as if expecting Edmund to go on. When he didn't, he turned his head back slightly, looking around at Edmund with an expression of incredulity.

"What, is that all? Your majesty, I'm sorry, but I fail to see how it is 'stupid' to display affection to the one you harbour such feelings for!" Philip exclaimed, sounding rather amused.

"She doesn't feel the same way." Edmund replied resignedly.

"Ah." Philip said quietly, the laughter gone. "Unrequited love. I see."

"Yeah." Edmund muttered in reply.

The silence took over once more. Again, all Edmund could hear was the steady sound of Philips hooves against the ground, and he concentrated on that rather than on his own spiteful thoughts.

"Are you sure of that, your majesty?" Philip asked suddenly.

Edmund attention snapped back to Philip. "Sorry?"

"Are you sure that she does not feel the same way as you? That she does not bear any affection for you aswell, at all?" Philip queried.

Edmund opened his mouth to reply, but then closed it when he failed to come up with anything to say. Was he sure? Amber had never said outright that she didn't like him, but then again, he had never given her any reason to do so, until now.

"Well..." he said unsurely.

"I should point out, your majesty, that she wasn't complaining at the time when you attempted to kiss her." Philip reasoned, sounded like he was trying to stifle a laugh.

_True..._

"But how _could_ she, Philip?" Edmund responded bitterly.

"I don't see how you could think otherwise, your majesty." Philip said, sounding confused.

"How could she ever like me?" spat Edmund.

"Your majesty, you have nearly every lady in Narnia falling at your feet, and with good reason too. Your respectable reputation in battle, in the courtroom, and outside of that contributes greatly to that. Identify one possible reason she would not like you." Philip protested.

"Philip, the majority of those simpering ladies are merely after my riches and wealth. Amber is the daughter of a Lord in the Lone Islands. Well, he's dead now, but still. She has no need for riches and otherwise. She holds her own." Edmund said shortly.

"So that makes the match all the better, does it not?" Philip reasoned.

"She can do far better than me." Replied Edmund, scornfully.

"How, pray tell? How can one do better than an admirable, respectable king? " said Philip, irritated.

"A thick traitor, unworthy of being king, more like." Edmund muttered.

Philip remained silent for a moment. "I see." He said after awhile, realization colouring his tone. "You still bear the burden of that, then."

Edmund said nothing, once again listening to Philips hooves, drowning out everything else in his head before his self-hating thoughts got the better of him.

"You were just a child, Edmund-"

"Yes, yes, I was just a child, I was young, easy to influence...I've heard it all before Philip. Empty excuses-"

"They are honest reasons of explanation, Edmund!"

"-but they don't change anything. They don't make what I did any less nonsensical. I betrayed my country, Philip, and nothing can take away from the irrationality of that. And it irreversibly taints this undeserved 'respected' reputation everyone seems to have of me." Spat Edmund.

"Your majesty, be reasonable." Philip objected.

Edmund simply shook his head angrily, sighing in frustration. Knowing all too well Edmund stubbornness, particularly on this matter, Philip let it go; knowing further arguing would be futile. Instead he took a different approach.

"And does the girl know of the matter?" asked Philip.

"Yes." Edmund replied shortly.

"And what was her reaction?"

Edmund frowned.

"_I don't think any less of you for it...I think you're so brave for having the balls to return and apologise after everything..."_

"It was...different..." he said carefully, slowly.

"Different? How so?" Philip asked.

"Well...she didn't seem to...care..." Edmund furrowed his brow, a sudden torrent of questions appearing in his mind.

_If she doesn't care about what I did...and she didn't pull away...could that mean possibly, maybe, perhaps..._

Taking an informed guess at what thoughts would be running through a speechless Edmund's head, Philip smiled smugly. "If you don't mind me saying, your majesty..."

"Mmmm?" replied Edmund, distractedly.

"-I think I won this argument."

Edmund shook his head in amusement, smiling slightly.

"And you know what else I think?"

"What else, Philip?" Edmund replied, rolling his eyes.

"I think you should go talk to this girl."

**Amber POV**

Amber had been told that the journey from Cair Paravel to the Forbidden Forest took around three hours on foot, probably more. The entire army had been walking for around an hour and a half now, hitting on two hours, with Amber trailing idly near the back, alone. Well, technically speaking, she wasn't _alone._ But she might as well have been.

Due to the tight schedule they were under, officials had everyone walking at a quick, steady pace, in an effort to reach the forest before sundown, set up camp, and give out orders. This had caused a general silence throughout the army, as everyone focused on putting one foot in front of the other in a short amount of time. Despite this, there always had to be the group of people who never shut up, and somehow, Amber had ended up beside them. 'Them' being the group of bickering soldiers who were walking alongside her, still immersed in the conversation they had began back when leaving Cair Paravel. Approximately two hours later, and they were still debating on which type of stick to use if one was caught without a sword. Currently, the options were a hawthorn or a birch.

Personally, Amber had her money on a hawthorn. Where had they got the idea that a birch would substitute decently for a sword? At least the hawthorn would get a fair crack at the opponent, as it was firmer, less flimsy.

Almost unconsciously, Amber wondered what Edmund would choose.

She probably would have asked him, just as a matter of interest, but as of an hour and a half-ish ago, Amber had officially decided that she wasn't talking to Edmund anymore. She still had her pride, even if it was slightly bruised, and she most certainly wasn't willing to let herself take anymore rejection or humiliation.

But it didn't seem to matter anyway, as it appeared that Edmund didn't seem to be talking to her either. After that..._incident_...he had hastily mounted Philip and disappeared with a mumbled 'bye', leaving Amber just _standing_ there. For one of the few times in her life, Amber had found herself stunned into silence, her normally pale cheeks flushing with humiliation as he rode off. And inside her, all those butterflies that Edmund had created crumbled to teeny tiny, broken pieces.

It had _almost_ been enough to convince Amber to do as Edmund wanted her to do, and to stay behind in Cair Paravel. She didn't want to face him; she just wanted to bolt to the meagre comfort of her room and curl up and take out all her anger on the world by sobbing into her pillow. No, scrap that, right now, Amber was more than willing to pack her bags and run home. Could she bear to be with him now? Well, the question now was, could _he_ bear to be with her? Was he_ that_ repulsed by her? How could see have missed it before?

But Amber was _never_ one to sacrifice her dignity, no matter how desperate the situation was. And right now, the situation felt pretty desperate. But more than anything, Amber hated appearing weak and that was definetly _not_ changing now. Especially not because of some idiotic boy who had almost kissed her but then apparently come to his senses and had ignored her ever since.

How the hell had this happened? How had the tables suddenly turned against her like this? She had come here nearly three months ago with the intention of killing Edmund; but somehow, she had sadly ended up falling for him. It was sad. Really, really sad. Just like one of those sad story-lines, where the two star-crossed lovers would ride off into the sunset on a white unicorn and live happily ever after. Nothing ever went wrong. And in the rare case that something did go wrong, all the guy had to do was stand underneath their window, and call out for them. Apparently, it showed the girls that the guys loved them so much they were willing to miss out on an hour or two of sleep so they could stand under their window and wake them up.

Yep. That certainly seemed like an act of love. If the situation ever arose with Amber, on an alternate world perhaps, that Edmund turned up underneath her window in the middle of the night, calling out to her, Amber would most likely throw something at him and tell him to go and take a long walk off a short pier. He could wait until morning, and bring her a bunch of stupid flowers and stupid chocolates and whatnot, and then they could ride off into the sunset on their stupid unicorns.

But that just simply wasn't going to happen. And as far as Amber knew, unicorns weren't yet tamed, so that ruled out the whole 'disappear into the sunset on a unicorn' thing. Besides, after this afternoons demoralizing incident, it had become painfully obvious that just as Amber had realized how much she _needed_ Edmund, he had realized how much he _didn't _need her.

The bittersweet pain was that, in the few precious seconds leading up to their near-kiss, Amber had seen _everything_. She could picture herself growing up with Edmund, growing old with Edmund, having a home, kids, family, and the lot. Could it really have been possible? She'd never know now. It was like being offered a pie, you try to take a slice, and then it's snatched away from you. _Nice._

But she had been getting _way_ ahead of herself. So she only had herself to blame, really.

"Hello." A voice suddenly said from beside her.

Amber looked up from her feet, suprised, and then even_ more_ suprised when she saw Edmund himself. Yes, the cause of all her troubles, walking backward alongside her so he could look at her with a hint of wariness hidden in his eyes.

"Hi." She replied shortly, remembering her firm resolution not to talk to him ever again all too late.

He turned and fell into step beside her, remaining silent whilst looking around casually at the surrounding countryside they were passing through, whistling lowly.

_What an idiot. He's seen all this before, no doubt, He lives here. Does he think I'm stupid or something?_

Snorting inwardly, Amber pressed her lips firmly together, refusing to speak first. Instead, she focused solely on her feet. _One step, two steps, three_-

"So." Edmund said suddenly, running a hand through his unruly hair.

_Four steps, five steps, six steps, seven_-

"I have a question I'd like to ask you. If you don't mind, that is." He said hesitantly.

_Eight steps, nine steps, ten steps, eleven steps, twelve_-

"Well, actually, I have a lot of questions I'd like to ask you. But there's one _important_ question, I guess. I mean, depending on your answer, a whole lot of the other questions would be wholly unimportant..." he trailed off unsurely.

Amber forced herself to keep her eyes on her moving feet, resisting the tempting urge to look up and try to make sense of what Edmund was saying. It was making absolutely no sense to her. Edmund sighed despairingly when he realised he wasn't going to get any kind of response. But obviously, he decided to go for it anyway.

"Okay, right. Let's say there's this guy, and he's called...let's call him Bob. Is Bob okay?"

Amber inwardly rolled her eyes. Edmund took her silence as a confirmation and continued.

"And there's a girl. We'll call her Mary." Edmund asked, not waiting for an answer this time. "And let's say Bob and Mary are pretty good friends. They do lots of stuff together; spend a lot of time with each other, that sort of thing. _Really _good friends, you get me?"

Amber finally gave in and looked up at him, baffled. He was staring out over the countryside as he walked, his face thoughtful.

"But then, Bob starts to like Mary. You know, like Mary _romantically_, in a 'more than friend's' kind of way."

Amber frowned. _He must be on something._

"Bear in mind, that Bob...Bob has bad history. He...he did something when he younger, something bad." He looked expectantly at Amber. Feeling like he expected something of her, she slowly nodded, indicating that she was following, when in truth she didn't have a clue what the idiot was going on about.

"So then Bob tries to...win Mary's affections, tries to change their friendship to a different sort of relationship." He furrowed his brow, and looked directly at Amber. "She doesn't know how he feels. At least, I don't think she does..." He trailed off vaguely, before looking back to Amber. "What he did when he was younger, would that have an effect upon her decision?"

Amber frowned in confusion. Where on earth was this coming from? What was he on about?

"Well." She began uncertainly. "What did...Bob...do?"

Edmund grimaced. "He...he let down the people he loved. Betrayed them, you could say. Greedy, selfish idiot." He looked extremely pained, his jaw set.

Amber nodded slowly, sensing he wasn't going to elaborate on the matter and so dropping it. "Well, if he _meant_ to betray-"

"He _didn't_." Edmund snapped coldly. Then his tone softened. "He never _meant_ to hurt anyone, and he curses himself every day of his life for what he did. And he _desperately_ wishes he could take it _all_ back. He's _sorry_." He sighed. "He _knows_ all too well that he doesn't deserve someone as amazing as Mary, but he's going to try anyway. Idiot."

Amber shrugged. "Well in that case, I don't see why Mary wouldn't return his affections."

Edmund nodded thoughtfully. "I see." He said quietly, his voice vague.

They walked in silence again. Amber focused on her feet again and wondered whatever had happened to her resolution of never talking to Edmund, whilst beside her, Edmund mulled over all his new findings in his head.

"What would _you _do?" he said suddenly, looking at her abruptly.

Amber frowned, shaken from her reverie. "What?"

Edmund looked at her carefully. "What would _you_ do, if Bob liked you? Would you return his affection, despite what he had done?"

Amber shook her head, irritated. "You're asking me would I return affections to some person named Bob that you have made up in your head, despite him betraying this imaginary little country that you also seem to have made up in your head?" she snapped.

Edmund looked at her blankly. "Well, yeah."

Amber sighed in frustration. He didn't seem to get her point. "I don't know. It's a_ ridiculous_ question." She spat. "It makes_ no_ sense. Just leave 'Bob and Mary' to sort out their own problems." She finished mockingly.

Edmund looked at her carefully for a moment, an unreadable expression on his face. "So is that a no?" he asked, after a moment's consideration.

"I never answered!" Amber snapped moodily, increasing her pace in frustration. "How are you supposed to answer a question like _that_?"

Edmund sighed grudgingly, matching her heated pace easily, hands behind his back, looking at his surroundings with a look of deep consideration on his face. "Fair enough." He said quietly, resignedly.

After about half a minute of walking in awkward silence, Amber's ever-growing curiosity got the better of her. Cursing herself, she glanced toward him.

"What were your other questions?" she asked, trying to sound indifferent. She was still _incredibly_ mad at him, still _incredibly_ hurt by his earlier rejection.

"Mmmm?" he replied slowly, shaken from his silent reverie.

"You said you had other questions, based on the answer of the question you just asked." She said coldly, doing her very best to show her anger.

Edmund smiled faintly, the corner of his perfect mouth lifting up slightly. "But then again, you didn't give me a proper answer." He pointed out.

Amber snorted. "It was a ridiculous question." She huffed.

"It was?" he said casually, but she could see him frown out of the corner of her eye.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, exasperated. "Some idiot called Bob and another imbecile called Mary who both appear to be utterly stupid, and you're asking me are they compatible, whether they should be together? Honestly, just what is your point? Or is there one?" she ranted.

"Edmund frowned. "I thought it was a pretty innocuous question." He argued.

Amber's eyebrows met in a dark scowl. The worst thing was that it _was_ a harmless question. He was just pissing her off.

"So I take it you don't think much of Bob then?" Edmund asked resignedly.

Amber rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Edmund, you're asking me if I would like some guy you made up in your head."

Edmund sighed in frustration. "You're impossible Amber. Maybe, I didn't make him up-"

"-oh, so now you know someone called Bob, yeah?" she challenged angrily.

Edmund glared at her. "I'm not giving you actual names, idiot. It might change your answer, and I want your _honest_ opinion."

Amber folded her arms irately. _Now he's insulting me too._

"You're not making _any _sense." She snapped angrily, quickening her pace again.

"That's because you're not _thinking _about it right!" Edmund snapped back. "You're completely missing the point!"

Ignoring him, she kept walking steadily. Behind her, Edmund groaned in frustration.

"Amber, wait." He jogged after her, catching her by the elbow in an effort to slow her down and match her pace again. "It's an important question, if you'd just _think_ about it." He protested. She kept walking, refusing to look at him.

"Sure." She muttered, her damn eyes becoming blurry. But there was just something in her eye. That was all. That was _all._

"Oh, come on Ambs, stop being so bloody _difficult_." Edmund sighed, irritated.

The blurriness disappeared instantly as Amber stopped abruptly, whirling around to face a suprised Edmund.

"_I'm_ being _difficult_?" she said incredulously. "Do you _hear _yourself?" Seething with anger, she shot him a death glare and marched on, arms folded.

Edmund sighed again, obviously frustrated, and hurried his pace to catch up with Amber. "Look, Ambs, I'm _sorry_, okay? I can explain." He pleaded. "I'm _sorry_. Just let me explain, _please_."

_What? So you can make those damn butterflies erupt in my stomach yet again, and then crush them down, yet again? So you can replace the pleasant warmth you send coursing through me with cold chills that leave me shivering with emptiness? So that the perfect, happy, golden bubble you created around me will burst, and drench me with unhappiness? _

Amber snorted bitterly.

_I don't think so._

"Later." Amber muttered, and took off running.

**READ AND REVIEW(:**


	21. Chapter 21

**well.**

** first and foremost, VERY VERY sorry for the long wait. i'm not going to even try and make up excuses :D**

** BUT, i gurantee you, this chapter SHOULD make up for the long wait. if you get my drift;)**

** by the way, in case you hadn't noticed, i've edited all the chapters up to Chapter 13. there's no differences to the plot or anything, just a few little adjustments, if you want to go back and read over them! i've also changed the summary, seeing as it was crap beforehand :D**

** P.S is anyone watching the eurovision tomorrow night? may i suggest you vote for jedward, ireland's act? the song is called 'lipstick', and it's freaking awesome :D**

** but enough! let us continue!**

**Chapter Twenty One**

**Jadis POV**

The main courtyard of the Northland's Palace was unusually quiet. A few idle people ambled around the courtyard, lazily attending to their duties. A sense of relaxation and relied has taken over, in the duration of the queen's absence from the Northland's.

But unfortunately, this short-lived liberty would soon be broken.

The sound of horse's hooves clattering against the cobbled stones leading up to the castle caused all heads to snap up in, tension and apprehensiveness written all over their suddenly anxious faces. If it was an invasion, they would have been alerted a long time ago when the offenders were at the main gate. So that could only mean it was...

The horses flew through the raised iron gates, froth foaming at their mouths. They didn't stop, racing straight through the courtyard, down toward the stables. Behind them came the few exhausted footmen, jogging wearily, filthy and soiled from head to toe. They didn't stop either, heading wearily to the soldiers quarters.

And after those men, Jadis herself hastily strode through the gates, followed closely by her guard, consisting of Goren and his men. Like those before her, she didn't pause, marching on toward the castle, ignoring the growing crowd, who observed her in pure shock and awe.

The usually flawless, immaculate, reserved woman was an absolute _wreck_. Her long dress was ripped everywhere, the tatters hanging out behind her, with dirty soil and bits of twigs clinging to every fray. Clay was caked on the material around her body, almost hiding the ripped material at regular intervals around the dress, but not quite. The original colour of the dress was unidentifiable, what with the splashes of muddy red blood and dirty black clay clinging to her. Her long, white blonde hair was flowing around her, giving her the wild look of someone who had just resurfaced after spending days out in the wilderness. Her pale face was even paler than normal, if that was possible, with a deep, painful gash cutting across her cheek, dry blood and clay caked around the wound as it wound its way across her face down to her jawbone. Dark circles looked to be carved beneath her weary, crazed eyes, and her mouth was set in a thin, grim line. She walked stiffly, quickly, with obvious purpose, her arms straight by her sides, her fists curled up in clear frustration.

Those who had accompanied her looked much the same in their appearance-unkempt, filthy, wrecked, and weary. Jadis had been utterly unmerciful on the return journey home. She and her men had travelled without rest for roughly forty-eight hours with no stops at all along the way. No sleep, no rest, nothing, not for anyone. It was simple; anyone who stopped or fell behind along the way was abandoned, and left to fend for themselves. Due to Jadis's relentless driving force, the journey from the Forbidden Forest back to the Northlands had been shortened from three days to two.

Reaching the main entrance to the castle, Jadis half-turned with a parting shot to an exhausted Goren, who followed behind her.

"Have a good portion of the army ready at the crack of dawn tomorrow morning. Inform them of the upcoming journey, and tell them to be well prepared. We are travelling to Narnia tomorrow, with no stops whatsoever, understood?" she barked.

Goren nodded wearily, inclining his head slightly by way of bowing, too tired to actually bow before her.

Jadis turned and pushed open the heavy oak doors, ignoring the strange, shocked and intrigued looks she received from passers-by, who squatted against the walls of the corridor as she passed by them. Catching a passing servant by the arm, she vaguely instructed the frightened man to get the names of the men who had accompanied her on her quest, and see that they were rewarded for their troubles. After receiving a squeaky 'yes', she roughly released him and continued on her way.

Jadis knew all too well that she had been far too hard on her men, pushing them to their absolute limits, and some past their limits. Those who had been pushed past their limits were still in the hinterland somewhere, wandering around aimlessly or else already dead. The latter was most likely the more probably outcome.

But desperate times called for desperate measures. Jadis hadn't known what had been happening with Amber, or rather, what wasn't happening, as it now appeared. Edmund was still _alive_? That wasn't the way it was supposed to be. That wasn't how it was supposed to be at _all._

It verified the only possible answer, the outcome Jadis had been so desperately trying to avoid all this time. But despite her pathetic efforts, the prophesy seemed to playing itself out.

Before things could get any worse, before Amber got in any deeper than she already was, Jadis was getting her out of there. Tomorrow morning, she was departing the Northlands and heading straight to Cair Paravel to get her, and bring her straight home. Things had gone far enough. Jadis would have to come up with a Plan B.

And of course, there was another reason for heading to Narnia, although she was less adamant to admit to it. On the journey home from the Forbidden Forest, Jadis had grudgingly realised that Aetak had been right from the very beginning. All of this was far too much for her to handle on her own, too overwhelming. She should have sacrificed her godamn pride and gone straight to the only one who could help in this situation. She should have gone to Aslan.

Well, it seemed now that she had no choice in the matter anyway. Jadis couldn't figure out what to do anymore, and desperation on her part was leading to careless mistakes that could prove costly later. He, on the other hand, had always known what to do. One had to prioritize in life, and her love for her daughter came well before Jadis's own pride. You could swallow your pride, and regain after awhile, but you couldn't exactly swallow your daughter and then choke her back up later...

_Or could you? I could be on to something..._

No. No, that was utterly ridiculous. She knew desperation would lead to something stupid. She couldn't _swallow_ her daughter, for crying out loud. No, she could only hope now that Aslan would understand how much she had sacrificed for him, how much she had sacrificed to come to him, and hope that he would forgive her for all that had happened, and for the mess that had been created. It was her own fault they had lost Breanne, but now she was doing her damn best to get her back, and she hoped and prayed Aslan would see that.

**Amber POV**

It wasso_ bloody_ cold.

There was one thing Amber couldn't understand. How the hell could the days in Narnia be so goddamn sweltering hot, and yet the nights be the polar opposite? And she meant polar literally. The Narnian nights were the kind that had that biting, freezing cold that caused the numbing loss of feeling in your fingers and toes, the kind that made your teeth chatter and clatter off one another uncontrollably, that made your nose feel like it was detached from your face, like it was about to fall off, and caused persistent icy shivers to run through your whole body from top to toe.

And even with her thick woollen cloak wrapped around her, and the mediocre campfire before her, Amber was still shivering with the cold, her white, numb fingers desperately trying in vain to pull the cloak around her for extra warmth, her ragged breath making white puffs in the air. Godamn it. Spending so long away from home had obviously had an effect on her immune system. She had lived in worse than this, for crying out loud! And now look at her!

She clamped her blue lips together, trying to silence the irritating chattering of her teeth. She let out another white breath of cold air. All over her body, she had lost all feeling.

Inside, Amber seemed to have lost all feeling too. Empty somehow, void, drained, sucked out. How the hell had she fallen _so _hard for Edmund, but not noticed until now? The whole fiasco had put her in such a depressed mood that she wasn't even looking forward to the attack anymore, and that was saying something. Usually, before battles, even the smallest of ones, Amber would be buzzing with excitement, rearing to go. Not crouched in front of a meagre campfire, unhappy and lonely and _cold_, wallowing in self-pity.

Realising what a pathetic position she was in, Amber decided enough was enough, and also came to the conclusion that sitting in front of a crappy little fire that was emitting no warmth was rather pointless. She slowly stood from her seat on a discarded branch, trying to force her numb body to _move_, attempting to brush the dirt from her skirts, but failing, as her hands were far too numb with the damn cold to do anything but flail helplessly in the air.

One slow, cold footstep at a time, Amber wandered slowly and aimlessly through the makeshift, temporary camp that Peter and the officials had quickly set up upon arriving in the Forest. Scratch that, it wasn't even a camp, just pretty much a clearing in the forest where they had stopped to rest and prepare for the ambush, which was scheduled to take place shortly.

For now, most of the Narnian army were residing in a large clearing, with three big fires assembled in the middle, countless men milling around, desperate for some heat. Dotted around the trees were quickly constructed stalls, offering helpful services such as polishing and repairing armour, supplying arrows and bows, selling and sharpening swords. Hundreds of men had formed large, messy, bustling queues, all pushing and shoving to get to the front.

Amber frowned to herself as she watched them. Come to think of it, her sword could do with a sharpen, especially after all the mock fights and battles she had partaken in since arriving in Narnia. It wasn't in the best of conditions, and if she went into battle with a sword that wasn't up to scratch, she wouldn't be in the best of conditions either.

Clutching her cloak around herself, Amber began to make her way through the huge, milling crowds, grimacing and sighing to herself at the sight of the huge queues. Moving past them, she continued searching through the tress for a relatively empty stall.

Going farther away from the centre of the camp, the light dimmed as she went farther from the fires, making it even darker, and even colder, if that was bloody possible. A few months ago, Amber would have shrugged at the freezing temperatures. After all, she had lived in worse conditions than these for her whole eighteen years. Now though, she seemed to have forgotten what it was like to be constantly living in an environment where everything was white and you couldn't see the ground, and three layers had to be put on before going outside, and you had to carry boiling water with you in a flask...

The density of the trees picked up again, and the crowd thinned out considerably, reduced to a few men hanging around the trees, smoking and talking amongst themselves, excitement in the air. Squinting, Amber could just about see one last stall at the fringe of the camp, nearly hidden amongst the trees, lit by a single oil lamp. Picking her way through the darkness, she slowly made her way over to the lone stall.

Arriving at the stall, she could see things a bit better, due to the lamp hanging from the wooden beam lain across the supporting walls of the stall. She could see the marble counter at the front of the stall, with a large stone upon it, surrounded by all different types of swords and loose blades and loose handles. The dark, rotting beams of timber supporting the makeshift roof bore many more swords, blades and handles, all sharp and glowing in the warm light flickering from the lone light.

The craftsman standing behind the marble counter looked incredibly old, his back hunched slightly, his hands gnarled and scarred. His face looked weathered and worn, his eyes creased, ancient looking. Deep wrinkles embedded his face, and grey hair scantily covering the top of his head. He smiled politely at Amber when he caught sight of her approaching.

"Just a moment, miss. I'll be right with you." He smiled apologetically, showing his crooked yellow teeth. Then he looked away, turning back to someone Amber hadn't noticed before now. If she had noticed them, she wouldn't have come over at _all._

Edmund stood beside the marble counter, testing a shiny new blade in his hands. Amber inwardly groaned. Honestly, she didn't have the time or energy to waste on him and his confusing ways right now. Especially if he was going to start all that 'bob' and 'mary' stuff again, which she didn't understand one bit.

But then again, walking away now would not only look stupid, but also look cowardly, and she most definetly didn't feel like joining one of those endless queues.

Besides, it was too late now. Edmund had seen her, and was smiling politely, carefully, in her direction.

"Hello." He said pleasantly, a slight hint of wariness in his voice, as if cautious that Amber might lose it with him again.

"Hi." She replied shortly, pretending to be terribly engrossed by the blades spread out across the marble top.

"Bloody hell, Amber, you look terrible." He said, frowning worriedly.

She turned to face him, eyes wide, arms folded. "Excuse me?" she said indignantly, her voice incredulous.

Edmund rolled his eyes at her. "Not terrible in _that_ way. No, terrible as in you look like you're going to die with the cold or something." He shrugged off his cloak and held it out to her.

Amber stood there for a moment, looking at the offered cloak dumbly.

_I don't get it. He doesn't like me, but he's acting concerned and offering me his cloak._

"Take it." He urged, looking at her expectantly. "You need it more than me, by the looks of it."

_He has to be on something._

Amber continued to look dumbly at him, internally struggling. She wanted nothing more than to refuse and walk way, but then again she wanted nothing more than to take the cloak and wrap herself up in his warmth, his smell...

Sighing in exasperation, Edmund took two steps toward her and wrapped the cloak around her, fastening the button at the shoulder. "You're going to freeze to death." He scolded as he tied the button.

"Thanks." She muttered as he stepped back to the marble table and took hold of the sword again, turning toward the man.

"The edges just need to be cleaned up a bit again. There's a few scratches and all that." He held out the sword to the man, who took out a pair of glasses from his pocket and put them on, taking Edmund's sword and glancing over it.

"Ah yes...as is to expected, in all honesty, your majesty." He looked up from his glasses, in a teasing manner. "Your style of combat may do well for you, but it puts your blade to much harm. Remember, your majesty, your sword has its limits-"

"-just like me." Edmund finished with a knowing smile. "So you've told me."

The man smiled back at Edmund, shaking his head. "However, you never seem to listen to me, no matter how many times I tell you." He reprimanded, picking up a pair of huge leather gloves from his counter and setting to work on Edmund's sword.

Edmund chuckled lightly and folded his arms patiently, watching the man efficiently skim the sword's blade over the stone on his counter, working with another blade in his free hand. Amber watched also, intrigued by his professionalism.

After a minute or so, the man ceased the scraping and lifted Edmund's sword toward the light, studying it carefully, then scraping it twice more, studying it again. Having apparently deemed it as done, he then handed it back to Edmund. Edmund took the sword, looking over it carefully and swinging it around in his wrist lazily before sheathing it again.

"My thanks yet again, Rimmyd." Edmund said to the man, smiling in thanks."

Rimmed waved a hand dismissively. "No worries, your majesty." He looked concernedly at Edmund. "Just remember what I always say to you. Use the flat of the blade for defence, which saves the edges for attacks of your own."

Edmund nodded again thoughtfully, folding his arms, a wry smile on his face. "I guess I do tend to use the edges most of the time, out of habit, I suppose." He laughed lightly. "It might be worth taking your advice though, _this_ time." He continued in a teasing manner. "It's a pain, you know, having to replace your sword before every battle." Edmund laughed again, more to himself than anyone else.

Rimmed shook his head in amusement at him, before turning to face Amber with a smile.

"And how can I help you m'lady?" he asked pleasantly.

Amber unsheathed her sword and stepped past Edmund and his scrutinizing expression, placing her sword upon the counter.

"I think it could do with a sharpen, don't you?" she suggested politely.

Edmund's laughter broke off suddenly as Rimmed held up her sword to the oil lamp, squinting up at it thoughtfully. After a moment he nodded to himself, placing it back down on the counter. "That it does. Just a quick-"

"-why do you need your sword sharpened?" Edmund asked sharply, arms folded, eyes narrowed, and his entire laughing manner vanished.

If Rimmyd was offended at Edmund cutting across him, he didn't show it. He picked up his gloves and set to work against the stone again.

Amber turned to face Edmund with a scathing look. "You should know that it's not exactly smart that one should go into battle with a blunt sword." She said slowly, as if speaking to a child.

Edmund snorted incredulously. "And where the hell did you get the idea that you're participating in this battle?" he asked sardonically, with his eyebrows raised incredulously.

Amber's hands flew to her hips. "Why do you think I'm here, you idiot? To watch? To be water-girl? I don't think so!" she exclaimed disbelievingly.

As if sensing an oncoming furious blow up, Rimmyd finished sharpening Amber's sword with a flourish and without bothering to check it, he practically threw it across the counter to Amber. She grabbed hold of it quickly, and sheathed it, nodding her thanks to Rimmyd.

"There you go." he muttered quickly, nodding a quick goodbye and walking hurriedly off towards the main camp.

Eager to avoid an argument that would require time and energy and just basically a whole lot of effort, all of which she didn't have much of at the moment, Amber turned on her heel quickly and followed Rimmyds retreating figure, away from Edmund. She didn't get very far before a hand closed around her wrist and yanked her around to face a livid Edmund.

"You're not going into that battle." He said through gritted teeth.

Amber shook her head contemptuously. "And why not?" she spat angrily, her eyebrows raised in disbelief.

Edmund sighed in frustration, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You've never seen Telmarines fight before. They're ruthless, barbaric, and_ brutal_."

Amber looked indifferently at him. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

Edmund narrowed his eyes angrily. "It won't matter to them that you're just a _girl_. They will _rip _you apart with their bare hands, without as much as a second thought. They don't give a _damn_." His eyes bore into hers, furiously begging her to understand.

Amber's eyes widened. "_Just a girl_? You arrogant, sexist _jerk_." She lifted her chin defiantly. "Edmund, I'm not _stupid_. I wouldn't expect them to treat me any different just because I'm a _girl_." She said indifferently.

Edmund dropped her wrist, throwing his hands in the air as he groaned in exasperation. "Godammit Amber, you're not bloody _invincible_!" he exclaimed angrily, looking at her beseechingly.

Amber nodded coolly, with an eyebrow delicately raised. "I know that too. Are you quite done now?" she snapped coldly.

Edmund glared at her, opening his mouth to respond, but suddenly the snap of a twig sounded through the trees. Both Edmund and Amber's breath caught in their throat as their heads snapped toward the direction of the noise. Looking around, Amber suddenly noticed that the large crowds had diminished, obviously having left for the battle. In the midst of their argument, Amber and Edmund obviously hadn't noticed everyone quietly departing. They were completely and utterly alone.

Both stood still for a moment, both tense, apprehensive, until a mere soldier suddenly appeared through the trees, stopping at their side, breathing heavily. He bowed slightly as Amber and Edmund let out a breath of relief, slightly embarrassed.

"Your highness, the archers are positioning themselves now, if you would care to join the ranks." The soldier informed Edmund.

Edmund nodded curtly to the soldier, which the soldier took as permission to leave. Quickly bowing, he turned and scurried hastily back through the trees, disappearing swiftly. Seizing the opportunity, Amber quickly made to go after him, but once again Edmund pulled her back, catching hold of her wrist as she passed by him. Feeling the sudden heat rush through her at the contact, Amber felt the heartache tear at her again. Feeling her eyes warm slightly, she whirled around angrily.

"Stop_ doing_ that!" she snapped heatedly, trying to snatch her hand away, but failing.

"You're not _going_." Edmund replied coldly, his gaze unwavering, his hand tight on her wrist.

"And why the hell not?" she yelled, frustrated.

"Because I _said_ so." He spat in return, his voice icy.

Amber laughed sarcastically. "News flash, you _idiot_." She hissed angrily. "You might be a king, but you don't bloody well decide what I do or what I don't do. Now, just let me go."

Edmund shook his head resolutely. "No, and no again. You're not _going_." He replied tersely.

"But why?" she exclaimed, exasperated with the whole thing.

"I don't _want_ you to go." He snapped coldly.

Whatever comeback Amber had planned didn't quite make it out. Literally feeling the words sink in, she swallowed slowly, trying not to take what he said in the literal sense, trying not to take it to heart, desperately trying not to associate it with what had happened earlier.

Failing, she felt the water well in her eyes, her vision becoming slightly blurry and her throat catching, making it hard to swallow, hard to breathe, hard to function.

"Fine." She spat brokenly, her voice catching. Wrenching her wrist from his, she angrily folded her arms and walked hastily away from a suprised Edmund, heading toward the deserted camp, hanging her head as she went, so he couldn't see her being so stupidly, _stupidly _weak and pathetic.

She left Edmund looking after her, frowning in confusion, still slightly suspicious of her giving in to him that easily. "What?" he called suddenly, running after her to catch up.

Amber ignored him, not looking toward him, trying to hide her face with her hair. "You've made your point _quite_ clear." She snapped. "Just go away." She finished bitterly.

Edmund frowned, all suspicion gone, replaced with genuine confusion. "What? Amber, what are you talking about?"

Amber marched on ahead of him, dodging through the isolated trees in the dim darkness, determined not to listen to him. Edmund sighed exasperatedly and continued to run after her. Once again, he took hold of her wrist, and turned her around to face him.

"What are you talking..." he trailed off as he looked at her carefully. "Are you...crying?" he asked incredulously, a hint of horror in his voice.

"No." She snapped defiantly, sniffing and wiping quickly at her eyes. "Just...just got something..."

Edmund frowned warily at her, his face still confused. "Ambs, I don't get what's wrong here."

Amber swallowed, yanking her wrist from his hold, and folding her arms. "_Nothing_." She said shortly, avoiding his gaze.

Edmund sighed. "Look, Amber, I didn't mean to make you cry-"

"I'm _not_ crying!" she snapped defiantly, wiping her eyes again to make sure.

Edmund frowned, looking worriedly at her. "Right. So you think I don't want you in the fight, because I don't like your company or something?" he said dubiously, an eyebrow rose questioningly.

Amber remained silent, still avoiding his gaze, looking at her feet or out over the empty forest instead.

Taking her silence as confirmation, Edmund sighed in exasperation. "Amber, you have got to be _kidding _me." He said, irritated. "Do you _honestly_ believe that?"

"Then why?" Amber snapped angrily, her voice breaking, his eyes warming again as she looked at him.

Edmund looked at her in astonishment, eyebrows raised, eyes open wide. "Amber, I don't want you in that fight because I don't want you to get _hurt_!" he exclaimed, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I love your company! I don't want it taken away from me!" He said incredulously.

A look of confusion appeared on Amber's face as she thought over that. "What?"

Edmund frowned, sighing yet again. "I don't get what's bothering you." He said in frustration, gazing questioningly at her.

Amber exhaled angrily, her hand flying to her temples as she shook her head. She began walking in a circle, pacing irately. "I don't get it." She snapped, to no one in particular.

"I don't get it either." Edmund said expectantly, watching her with a confused expression.

Pausing, Amber looked at him carefully for a moment, a bothered, pondering expression on her face, along with the worried and confused frown.

"Amber, what the hell is wrong?" Edmund exclaimed impatiently, throwing his hands in the air.

"I...you...you nearly_ kissed_ me!" she burst, looking at him accusingly, pointing her finger at him.

Immediatly, Edmund stiffened, unsure of what to say in response.

"But you...you didn't. Why? Is there something..._wrong_ with me-"

"-Amber-"

"-or did I _do_ something, maybe? It's clear now that you obviously don't like me-"

"_Amber_."

"-so I'm confused right now as to why you give a _damn_ about whether I fight or not, or why you were ever going to kiss me in the first place, and why you didn't..." she trailed off, looking distressed, and then suddenly looking as if she had just realised that she might have said too much. Her chest rising and falling quickly from her little rant, she stared vulnerably at Edmund, who stood still for a moment, looking at Amber with an unreadable expression on his thoughtful face.

"Now _I'm _confused." He said finally, slowly. "Are you upset because I was _going _to kiss you, or upset because I _didn't_ kiss you?"

Amber looked at him silently, her eyes welling up and becoming glassy again. "Why didn't you?" she whispered quietly, not trusting herself to speak properly.

Edmund shook his head. "It's not you, Amber, it's me."

"_That_ excuse!" Amber snorted.

"It's not an excuse! It's an explanation!" Edmund retorted defensively.

"Well, it's a pathetic explanation then." She snapped angrily.

Edmund sighed. "I tried to explain it to you earlier-"

Amber snorted. "You did?" she said sceptically, frowning.

Edmund fought the urge to groan in exasperation, sighing yet again. "Remember Bob and Mary?" he prompted.

Amber wrinkled her nose irritably. "Oh, not _that _again. I don't understand any of-"

"-that's because you're not _thinking_ about it right!" Edmund exclaimed, obviously frustrated. "When I told you that, it was all altered, all the names and stuff. For crying out loud, I don't know anyone called Bob!"

Amber didn't say anything for a moment, pondering over what he just said. "But...why?" she asked after a minute, baffled.

Edmund looked at her incredulously, his eyes disbelieving. "What do you mean _why_? I don't know why! Bob's are pretty hard to come by in Narnia, I guess!" he exclaimed, beyond irritated.

Amber rolled her eyes in annoyance, shaking her head. "No, you _idiot_. You said you altered the story. Why?"

Edmund frowned at her. "You still don't get it? I _had _to change the names. I wanted your honest opinion, and the actual names of the people would have affected that." He explained. Wearily.

Amber shook her head, infuriated with Edmund, and herself, and just everything. "I still don't get it." She grumbled.

Edmund sighed, aggravated. "Amber, _I'm_ Bob. Do you get it now?"

Amber's brow puckered, her eyebrows slanting down in a confused frown. "What?"

Exasperated, Edmund threw his hands in the air. "_I'm_ Bob. _You're_ Mary. And we're friends, right? But now, I like you as more than a friend, that kind of way. Do you get it _now_?" he snapped despairingly.

Amber stood still, shocked, stunned, and speechless. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing could come out. Edmund stood still, carefully waiting for her reaction.

"You...you...but..." Amber fumbled, confused and unsure. "Earlier, you pulled away..." she trailed off, still dumbfounded.

Edmund sighed again, closing his eyes. "Isn't it obvious, Amber? I'm not good enough for the likes of you." He chuckled bitterly.

Amber frowned. "Why on earth do you think that?" she exclaimed.

Edmund opened his eyes and looked at her incredulously, as if she had just asked the most stupid question ever. "Amber." He began, laughing sarcastically. "You are, quite simply, the most _amazing_ person I've ever met. And me, I'm a _traitor_ who betrayed my country-"

"Stop that." Amber cut across him angrily.

"-And it was all just for-"

"_Stop!_"

A sharp _crack _resounded through the empty forest as Amber leaned forward and gave Edmund a sharp slap across his face.

As the silence resettled, it took Edmund a slow moment to register what Amber had done. He stood there simply staring at her in disbelief, speechless, staggered. He slowly raised a hand to his flaming cheek and placed along his jaw gingerly, as if checking it was still there.

"You...you..."

"You needed it." Amber snapped, folding her arms. "You were being an idiot."

Edmund simply glared at her, his eyes still shocked.

"What you're saying is absolute rubbish." She continued angrily. "None of that even _matters_ anymore. Just forget about it, move on."  
"I can't!" Edmund yelled in response. "It's not as _easy _as that!"

"Well then just stop beating yourself up over it!" Amber exclaimed, her voice earnest. "It's not _worth_ it! Really, Edmund, it's not important anymore!"

"Not important anymore?" Edmund snorted. "Right. You should hear what they say about me. It's no fun." He said bitterly.

"Whoever _they_ are, they're idiots." Amber said simply. "They don't matter; they don't know what they're talking about. They don't know you like I do. What you did doesn't mean _anything_, not to me, anyway."

Edmund frowned, not responding, looking at her in silence. Disbelief, along with confusion, showed on his face.

"Are you saying..." he broke off hesitantly, his bewilderment showing on his face.

"What?" Amber probed worriedly, thinking back over what she might have said...

Edmund took a deep breath, looking at Amber warily. "You don't...care? About what...I did?" he asked disbelievingly.

Amber shook her head firmly. "Not one bit." She replied confidently. "I couldn't care less. Nothing you ever do could change the way I feel about-"Amber broke off suddenly, realising what exactly she was saying. Frowning thoughtfully, Edmund gazed at Amber for a moment, thinking over what she had said, or nearly said.

"You never answered my question." He said suddenly, looking at her with an unreadable expression, his face empty.

"Which one?" Amber replied warily.

Edmund looked at Amber carefully, his eyes cautious. "Would Mary like Bob too?" he asked carefully, raising an eyebrow.

Amber felt an embarrassed smile pull at her lips as her cheeks reddened slight. "Maybe." She replied quietly, biting her lip nervously.

Suddenly, a smirk crossed Edmund's face as he slowly took a step forward to stand in front of Amber, looking directly at her.

"Only maybe?" he queried, gazing at her, taking another step toward her.

Amber felt her legs turn to jelly as he smirked at her, her head spinning. "Well...I...maybe...yes..." she said breathlessly, as he took a final step toward her, and he slowly placed his hands gently on her waist as he looked directly into her eyes, mischief written all over his face.

"So..." his smirk widened. "Would Mary mind if Bob did...this?"

Amber was left unable to answer as Edmund's hands lightly travelled up her back to the back of her neck, leaving a slow trail of fire in their wake. His hold was gentle, yet firm, as he unhurriedly tilted her head toward his, his fingers softly clutching her small of her neck. And then his face inched closer to hers, and once again, Amber found herself absolutely lost in his addictive, tantalizing scent. In the dead silence of the empty forest, the hushed sound of their uneven, rushed, anticipative breathing was all that could be heard. Her eyes fluttered shut as he came just that bit closer, bit by bit. Unthinkingly, her hands rose slowly to rest themselves on Edmund's chest, helping her stay upright as her knees became weak and wobbly, threatening to give way. Edmund's lips were just mere centimetres from her own when he suddenly paused.

"Well?" he whispered.

"Hmmmm?" Amber replied dazedly.

Edmund chuckled lightly before tightening his grip on her, pulling her even closer to him and then finally placing his lips gently on hers.

The first rational thought that ran through Amber's spinning head was _bliss_. Sheer bliss. All of those crazy butterflies that she thought had died, they appeared again, bursting into life in their hundreds, thousands, millions, spinning uncontrollably around her stomach, making her feel even lighter, like she could float away at any moment.

But he held her down, kept her feet on the ground. His lips, his beautiful lips were so _perfect_, so soft, so velvety, moving _magically_ against hers, sending shivers down her spine. He tasted of well..._Edmund_, with just a hint of mint, making him all the more delicious.

After what seemed like forever, but was really only a minute, Edmund pulled away, placing his forehead gently against hers, breathing heavily.

"You still haven't answered my question." He whispered after a moment, smiling.

Amber looked at him dazedly. "What question?"

Edmund lazily rolled his eyes. "Would Mary mind Bob kissing her?" he probed, smiling deviously.

Amber smirked wickedly at this. "I still haven't decided yet." She replied indifferently, flirtatiously.

Edmund laughed quietly, before leaning down and recapturing her lips with his, wiping the smirk off her face, leaving her speechless yet again. No coherent thoughts could pass through her head. It was just Edmund, all Edmund. He was everywhere, taking over her, blocking out everything else, consuming her, and Amber was more than happy to give in and succumb to his absolute perfection.

After just a minute, the kiss surpassed the last, growing more passionate. The kiss deepened, Edmund's hands trailing down to Amber's waist, leaving a trail of goose bumps behind them. Holding her close against him, Amber found herself backed up against the closest tree behind her. Having more support, Amber's hands ran up his defined chest, tingling at the feel of his toned body, one hand moving to grip his shoulder and the other fixing itself in his unruly hair, gently pulling a strand, evoking a new wave of enthusiasm on Edmund's part. Their tongues swirled in unison, exploring each other eagerly. Amber felt a rush of pleasure within when a low growl came from somewhere within Edmund's throat.

Edmund broke their fervent kiss, his lips continuing down along her jaw, kissing her softly, his soft lips brushing against her skin. A low moan emitted from Amber when Edmund found her sweet spot. She tightened her grip on his hair, pulling herself even closer to him. Wasting no time, Edmund broke away from her jaw, moving back to her lips, beginning their rendezvous all over again.

A battle horn sounding in the distance caused Edmund to slowly pull reluctantly away from her.

"I have to go." He sighed resignedly, stroking her cheek softly.

Sighing, Amber placed her chin on his toned chest, rising and falling with each ragged breath. She looked up at him imploringly, her eyes pleading.

"Do you have to?" she said beseechingly.

He nodded, smiling sadly. "Technically, yes. I swore an official oath that stated I would do whatever it takes under whatever circumstances to protect my people blah blah blah. And somehow, I don't think camping out in the forest snogging my girlfriend would serve as an excuse." He laughed softly.

Amber smirked, raising an eyebrow. "I'm your girlfriend?" she asked humorously, delighted.

Edmund smirked back, leaning down again to brush her lips briefly with his. "You don't have to _beg_, Amber." He laughed shortly as she glared at him, and then his expression turned serious. "You'll wait here? Promise you'll wait here, out of harm's way?" he implored.

She nodded his response. Anything to make him happy. Besides, she was in no fit state to enter a battle at this particular point in time. Was there such a thing as being love-drunk?

"I promise." She agreed.

He smiled gratefully at her, checking his sword was sheathed and then planted a quick kiss on her forehead.

"I'll be right back." He promised quietly, before turning and dissapearing into the darkness.

**well? well? WELL?**

** What did you think? was the kiss all that you expected it to be? or more? or less? let me know what you think!**

** REVIEW PLEASE!**


	22. Chapter 22

**now. that update didn't take too long, did it?**

** did it?**

** i don't think it did, considering how long i've gone before without updating!**

** but more importantly, can you believe it's summer? SUMMER? i just finished school yesterday, and i am ready for one hell of a summer. cannot wait.**

** some serious action in this chapter, by the way. and no, not THAT kind of action, you silly people(:**

**Chapter Twenty Two**

**Jadis POV**

Jadis lay sprawled in her bed, having long succumbed to her exhaustion. Not a sound could be heard, only the faint ticking of a clock on the wall and her own gentle breathing, her chest rising and falling with each breath, a sign of her deep slumber. Her expression was empty, relaxed, relieved to find sleep. The whole scene was silent, peaceful, untroubled.

And then suddenly, in her sleep, Jadis stirred slightly. Her arms twitched agitatedly, a worried expression passing over her face as her mouth turned down at the corners, her eyebrows slanting in an apprehensive frown. Her breathing picked up, her breath become ragged.

Still asleep, Jadis unconsciously felt a familiar dull ache pick up in her chest. As the ache sharpened, random, unidentifiable images began flashing through her head, just giving her enough time to acknowledge them before they disappeared and moved on to the next.

All of a sudden, Jadis could feel everything, see everything, hear everything, despite the fact she was still asleep. She felt herself break out in a cold sweat, shifting uncomfortably in her sleep. The images running through her mind slowed down, like a tape slowing down, the pictures joining together, forming a proper, connected flow of pictures through her mind. The setting became clearer, regardless of the fact that it was so incredibly dark...Focusing more, Jadis made it out to be a forest, judging by the thick, dense trees she could just about make out. A little way off, Jadis could pick out a person sitting beside a tree. She could just about distinguish long hair, and therefore decided she was a girl, but Jadis couldn't make out her features; she was watching the girl from behind, out of view.

Nothing was happening. Jadis simply stood there, unable to move, unable to do anything, only focusing on the girl, who remained by her tree. She simply sat there, crouched into a sitting position, oblivious to anyone watching her.

A bad feeling began to form in Jadis's chest. Something was wrong, really wrong.

The girl tensed suddenly, her head snapping up abruptly as she looked around sharply and then turned suspiciously toward where Jadis was standing. In the dark, Jadis could just about make out pale skin, dark long hair...The girl looked all too familiar.

And then, with a sickening feeling of realization, Jadis recognized the girl.

_Amber._

And all of a sudden, Jadis knew what was going on. She knew all too well. It wasn't herself standing in the forest, watching Amber. She was looking through someone else's eyes-the Green Lady's eyes. She was the Green Lady, standing out of view from Amber, watching her, waiting, while Amber was unaware.

The ache in Jadis's chest intensified; a sure warning of what was coming. Jadis desperately wished she could shout, scream, run, anything to warn Amber, to tell her to run, to get as far away from here as possible. She knew what was coming far too well. Within her mind, Jadis's frantic screams went unheard.

Amber stood slowly, warily, her eyes flickering around her, her expression suddenly worried, anxious, and then turning distressed. Her gaze focused on where Jadis was standing. An expression of confusion, realization, and then pure panic crossed her face, as her eyes widened in horror.

Instead of offering reassurance, a smile, anything, Jadis felt herself take a step forward and smile darkly at Amber, who opened her mouth as if to scream.

And then suddenly, a menacing voice rang through Jadis's head, the sinister voice echoing throughout her mind.

_I told you I'd get her too. _

Jadis woke with a jolt, sitting up sharply, sweat running in rivers down her face, the throbbing pain in her chest causing her to gasp for breath, choking on the sudden intake of air.

The terrifying images quickly disappeared from her mind, but they left their mark behind, as intended. The Green Lady always showed Jadis just enough to let her know what was going on, and remind her that she could do absolutely _nothing_ about it.

Jadis let rip an agonised cry of undiluted pain as the first ripples of fear breached her mind, shaking her to her core. She stumbled out of her bed, making for the door, but collapsing to the floor as the second wave slammed into her. Wrapping her arms around herself, Jadis writhed around the floor in anguish, crying out again, and again.

It was a curse, a burden, this pain and fear and torture, but Jadis wouldn't have it _any_ other way. It was a just small price to pay, considering everything.

Another roar sounded from her as the fear invading her mind intensified, mingled with a mixture of uncertainty and sudden desperation. Jadis lay on her cold floor, her arms flailing, clutching for anything, tears of pain and frustration running relentlessly down her burning cheeks, mixing with the sweat that drenched her skin.

She welcomed it though. She embraced the pain. She had wanted this. She couldn't possibly complain. It was for her daughters good, it was to help them. Jadis had taken it upon herself to cast an ancient magical binding, aimed at helping her children. Anytime the Green lady attacked either Amber or Breanne, Jadis felt their pain, became a part of them for the duration of the attack, and took her share of the torture. It was so she could share their burden, lighten their load, take away at least some of their pain, and make it slightly easier. Anything to help them. _Anything._

The fear suddenly blew into full blown terror, horror, panic, as Amber was abruptly attacked. Feeling the first blow, Jadis screamed in agony as Amber fell to the ground. Blood-curdling screams escaping her, Jadis clutched the floor, clawing desperately at the cool surface.

And it was only just the beginning.

**Amber POV**

Sitting in the cold shade of the huge oak tree where Edmund had left her, Amber suddenly felt a cold chill creep over her, sending a slow shiver running down her spine, leaving a trail of goose bumps behind.

Properly taking in her surroundings for the first time, an icy feeling began to churn in Amber's stomach, along with a strange feeling of déjà vu.

Had she ever been here before? It was too dark and dusky to make out any specific details in her surroundings, but Amber could just about make out the small clearing spread out around her, surrounded by thick, towering trees on all sides. And when she listened hard enough in the still, eerie silence, she could even hear the faint sound of rushing water coming from far away.

Amber frowned worriedly to herself. She _had_ been here before. Curling up into herself nervously, Amber brought her knees up, resting her chin on them and wrapping her arms around her knees. Hugging herself reassuringly, she kept a careful eye around her, as she started feeling paranoid.

She suddenly noticed how strangely quiet it had become, with an eerily silent stillness blanketing the forest. In the strange stillness, the normal, comforting sounds of the forest were absent. She realised suddenly that she the sound of the light breeze was missing, the sound of rustling leaves had gone, the noise of the tree branches gently scraping off each other vanished. In the uncanny silence, all Amber could hear was a faint thrumming, coming from far away.

Another shiver rippled through her, and goose bumps began to appear on her arms. At first, Amber had thought nothing of where she was. As far as she was concerned, she was just in some random part of the forest. But the more she looked around her, the more she took in her surroundings, the more convinced she was that she _had_ to have been here before, she _must_ know this place.

The sound of the distant thrumming was gradually increasing in volume, the sound becoming clearer and clearer, more definable. It was a regular thrum now, low, soothing. Amber thought it sounded musical, like some sort of instrument. Maybe like a guitar...or a...a _mandolin._

_A mandolin._

A shock of fear suddenly rippled through Amber, causing her to gasp aloud like she had just been electrocuted. She scrambled frantically to her feet, frenziedly scanning the trees around her, panicked. All the while, the memories came rushing back to her- it had all started with the forest, exactly like where she was standing right now. Then, there had been the mandolin.

And, then there had been the Green Lady.

The thrumming sound didn't stop, instead, its tempo continued to increase, much like the growing tension in Amber's body. With clammy hands, Amber anxiously gripped the hilt of her sword, glancing around her apprehensively, her heart beating in her mouth.

And then suddenly, the sound ceased altogether, disappearing abruptly. An eerie silence engulfed the forest with the absence of the thrumming noise. Every hair on Amber's body stood stiff, shivers running through her, goose bumps trailing behind. In the peculiar silence, her heart beat sounded incredibly loud, _too_ loud, like it was giving her away.

Nothing moved whatsoever. Straining her ears, the only thing Amber could hear was her own short, nervous breaths, which sounded extremely loud in the creepy silence surrounding her.

Seconds seemed like minutes, and minutes seemed like hours, passing ever so slowly, until eventually Amber decided that there didn't seem to be anything out there, and she was just overreacting. Drawing her hand away from her sword, her eyes still darted through the trees carefully, looking for anything, anything at all.

And then, ever so quietly, an almost undetectable rustle sounded from the bushes near her. Immediatly, Ambers hand flew back to her sword and whipped it out, holding it out in front of her defensively.

"Who's there?" She snapped accusingly toward the source of the sound, her voice trembling slightly. She tried desperately to mask her fear and anxiety, pulling a straight, expressionless face.

Nothing happened for a moment, and just when Amber was beginning to wonder if she was hearing things, a sinister laugh rang out from the trees, echoing around her.

"I told you."

Nearly dropping her sword in her shocked horror, a horrified gasp escaped Amber. Collecting herself as best as she could, she tightened her hold on her sword, recognising the voice with a sickening stomach.

"I _told_ you." The menacing voice repeated, this time from directly behind Amber. Amber whirled around in shock to face the last person in the world she wanted to see.

The infamous Green Lady stood casually a few feet away from her, at the opposite end of the clearing to Amber, her arms folded. Her radiant green dress stood out vibrantly in the dark, flowing around her in the light breeze. On her stunningly beautiful face, she bore a wicked smile, her icy green eyes looking mockingly at Amber. Her striking blonde hair fanned around her, reaching the small of her back.

Too shocked to move, Amber stood rooted to the spot, holding her sword in front of her, struggling to hide her fear as best as she could.

The Green Lady laughed mockingly, the most beautiful, yet still the most horrifying sound that Amber had ever heard.

"I _told _you!" She repeated yet again, sounding delighted. "I _told_ you that I'd get you too, didn't I?" she laughed yet again, a satisfied note sounding in her voice.

Unable to help it, Amber felt a cold shiver ripple up her back. Noticing this, the Green Lady smirked victoriously. "So you _do_ remember?"

Taking in a deep breath, Amber tightened her grip on her sword, keeping it trained on the Green Lady. The Green Lady didn't look in the least bit frightened, eyeing Amber as though she was little more than just a mere piece of dirt.

"You're not strong enough." The Green Lady said scornfully, eyeing Amber's sword while shaking her head disdainfully.

Amber felt her anger flare at this. She straightened slightly, tilting her head up defiantly.

"I _am_ strong enough." She spat, her voice barely containing her boiling anger. "Just _try_ me."

The Green Lady delicately raised an eyebrow in response, her expression amused. "Are you sure?" she questioned. "Okay then, Amber. Could you please explain how come King Edmund is still alive, pray tell, if you are_ so_ strong?" she stared at Amber expectantly, her eyes questioning, the confident smirk not budging from her face. "Isn't that why you're here, after all?"

Amber frowned, coming up short, not expecting that. No, she hadn't been expecting that at _all._

_How did she know about that?_

Quaking under the Green Lady's expectant, self-assured gaze, Amber felt herself fumbling, coming up short. "I...I..."

The Green Lady laughed again, her laugh sounding like the sound of chimes tinkling in the wind, like music. "Exactly." She suddenly snapped, her voice losing its offhand tone and becoming harsh and cold, like sharp glass. "You are _weak_, Amber. Just another stupid fool for _love_." She spat out the word, like it was dirty.

Amber immediatly opened her mouth to defend herself, but the Green Lady cut across her.

"_You are weak_." She repeated forcefully, glaring at Amber with narrowed eyes full of spite. "You can't just bloody well kill Edmund, even though your sister's life _depends_ on it." Her narrowed eyes glanced pointedly to her left.

Amber frowned in confusion. _What on earth is she going on about?_

Following the direction of the Green Lady's glance, Amber's eyebrows met in a confused frown.

_Breanne?_

Breanne was standing to the side, half-hidden in the cover of the trees; the moonlight illuminating her calm face which looked so alike to Ambers. Underneath all the calmness though, Amber could see past the mask to the underlying tension, the apprehensiveness, and the worry. Breanne looked back at Amber with a pleading expression, clearly unable to do anything, her hands tied around a string that was in turn tied around the trunk of the tree she was standing beside.

_Wait._

_Breanne..._

_Breanne is my...my..._

_Sister?_

Amber's frown deepened with this new, unexpected revelation, the confusion she was feeling becoming abundantly clear on her face as her eyes widened with shock, and her mouth dropped open.

_She had a _sister_? _

_And that sister was Breanne?_

Amber couldn't get her head around it, couldn't get her head to process this new, staggering information. The Green Lady watched her reaction, chuckling slightly at Amber's obvious bewilderment. Amber immediatly ripped her confused gaze from Breanne and glared angrily at The Green Lady.

"I...you...you _liar!_" she snapped desperately, still holding her sword out toward her, still struggling inwardly to come to terms with what she had been told.

Now the Green Lady frowned, a look of genuine suprise crossing her face. "You...you didn't _know_?" she exclaimed incredulously, disbelievingly, looking from Breanne to Amber with a suprised expression.

Amber didn't respond, her head whirling. She glanced at Breanne again, her mind chaotic. It _couldn't _be true. It _wasn't_ true. How could it be true?

_But...the prophesy claimed that Breanne had been stolen...and that the next in line would be the one who had to save her by sacrificing a son of Adam..._

Amber gasped quietly to herself, realisation dawning over her, her head spinning. _Next in line...next in kin_...Breanne...Breanne _was_ her sister.

The Green Lady shook her head slowly. "You _really _didn't know?" she said quietly, almost to herself, her voice thoughtful. "But..._why_ didn't she tell you...?"

_Why didn't I see this before?_ Wasn't it _blatantly_ obvious, now that she really thought about it? Amber should have seen it before. The strange, perfect alikeness between the two of them, the prophesy, the dreams..._how_ could she have missed the all the signs?

Shaking her head again, the Green lady waved a hand dismissively in the air. "It's too late now for explanations. What does it matter anyway? It's just yet another _stupid,_ foolish mistake on your behalf." She snorted. "You're _pathetic_." she rolled her beautiful, dazzling green eyes, which seemed to be almost glowing in the darkness.

Amber inhaled deeply, trying desperately to make sense of everything, her confused thoughts racing around her boggled brain. She glanced toward Breanne again, uncertain. Breanne looked at her evenly; her expression full of hidden meanings that only confused Amber all the more.

Glancing back to The Green Lady, Amber saw her expression harden and becoming accusing, with a hint of smugness. She pointed a thin, pale finger at Amber.

"You've _dammed_ her." She snapped, motioning toward Breanne, who remained motionless. "You've dammed _everyone_. You've dammed your mother, Aslan, Breanne, Caspian...and of course, yourself." She snorted again, looking down upon Amber derisively.

Amber frowned in confusion yet again. _Caspian_? And _Aslan_? What on earth did _they_ have to do with this?

The Green Lady took no note of Amber's confusion, laughing shortly, her voice harsh. "Things worked out just perfectly, which I really didn't expect, to be honest." She looked at Amber with a mocking expression. "I _genuinely_ thought you would be better than this, Amber. I didn't think you would be so_ incredibly_ stupid. But you just came _straight_ to me. You made is so, _so_ easy, you_ silly_ little girl."

Amber narrowed her eyes in anger at this, glaring furiously at the Green Lady. The gloating woman took no notice, and continued.

"How could you have been so _stupid_, Amber? _Really_? Are you _really_ telling me that you've been in the dark _all_ the time? The _whole_ time?" She laughed madly. "Maybe I should thank you? Should I thank her, Breanne?" The Green Lady glanced toward Breanne, who glowered back at her. The Green Lady laughed yet again, turning back to Amber with a triumphant smirk. "_Thank _you Amber! Everything is just _so_ much easier now! It's _perfect_!" a look of winning relief washed over her face, and she smiled widely at Amber, flashing her sharp white teeth. "It's just all too easy from here on. There's no fun left in it anymore. Once Caspian finds out that I have you, he'll come _straight_ to me. And then I will _finally_ finish this!" She laughed yet again.

Amber dropped her sword a little, frowning at the Green Lady, who was still chuckling to herself. "What are you _talking_ about?" she said, baffled.

The Green Lady looked vaguely at Amber, raising an eyebrow delicately. "Caspian is my source of Adam's blood. Keep up." She said airily.

Amber scowled. "I _know_ that. But that's not what I'm _talking_ about." She snapped angrily. What she didn't understand was why the Green Lady thought that Caspian would come running to save her at just a moment's notice. Why would he do that? What sort of importance did the Green Lady think Amber was to Caspian? She had only known him for a mere two days.

The Green Lady glared impatiently at her, irritated. "Well, then what are you not understanding, child?" she said impatiently.

Somewhere inside, Amber felt herself snap.

_That's it._

_That's the last straw._

Amber had a damn long list of things she didn't like. She knew it was long, and she had long lost count of how long her list had become. But being dismissed as a child had to be high on that list of things she blood well _did not like_.

Assuming her mother's cold manner, Amber dropped her sword to her side and stood casually before a suprised Green Lady, with narrowed eyes and clenched fists. "First of all, I'm not a child." She spat. "If you want to get technical about it, I turned eighteen many months ago, so I'm now officially a woman. Note that, you thick dim-wit." She snapped angrily.

A look of outrage broke out on The Green Lady's face. Her eyes narrowed angrily, turning into slits. Her lips pulled back in fierce scowl, flashing her sharp, white teeth. Slowly pulling a dagger from her belt, she raised it up over her head.

"I'll make you sorry, _child_." She hissed.

Amber snorted sardonically, raising her sword again. "I'm sure you will, you thick-headed monster." She said sweetly.

She crouched slightly, ready for the Green Lady to leap toward her. But with an enraged cry, the Green Lady flung the dagger from where she stood toward Amber with suprising force and velocity. Taken aback, Amber quickly dodged to the side, nearly evading the dagger. But the blade still scraped softly against the side of her face before it embedded itself in the tree behind her. The feel of the cool, sharp metal against her skin sent a shiver through her, and the feeling of warm blood trickling down her face followed. Taken off guard, Amber never noticed the Green Lady lunge toward her, and so without warning The Green Lady slammed into her. Amber felt a flying sensation for a split second before she smashed into the tree behind her. Somewhere on the way to the tree, she lost her sword, leaving her completely and utterly defenceless.

Whacking her head against the thick, hard, trunk, Amber felt momentarily dazed, camera flashes blocking her vision. That was all the time the Green Lady needed to wrench the dagger from the trunk above Amber's head, and then hold it to Amber's throat.

"You know." She said casually. "I just saw King Edmund in my forest awhile ago." She raised an eyebrow, smirking cockily. "Would he have anything to do with why you're here? Even though you've proven yourself to be a bit of an idiot, I'm _sure_ you didn't just walk into my forest with the intention of giving yourself up."

Amber kept her face composed, trying to catch her breath, and also trying to prevent the unavoidable blush that always rose to her cheeks at the mention of Edmund.

"No." She snapped shortly, her eyes focusing properly again. Unfortunately, the first thing she saw was the Green Lady's face right up against hers. _Not pretty._

The Green Lady smirked. "Oh, so there are no feelings there? At all?" she said knowingly.

Amber kept a straight face. "Of course not." She said indifferently, wincing as she suddenly felt the pain throbbing from her head.

The Green Lady's smirk widened. "Oh, so you wouldn't mind then? If I kill him when I'm done with you?"

Just the thought of it had Amber snarling with rage. Seeing red, Amber swiftly brought up her fist and landed it squarely in the middle of the Green Lady's beautiful face, succeeding in knocking her back off of her. Seizing the opportunity, Amber grabbed her fallen sword from the ground beside her, and hastily spun around to face a furious Green Lady, who had quickly recovered from her shock. Throwing her dagger to the side, snarling viciously, the Green Lady yanked a sword from her belt and brought it up to clash with Amber's.

The struggle was brief. The Green Lady was twice Amber's strength and size. With a particularly fierce blow, she knocked Amber back slightly, unsettling her momentarily. But that one moment was all the Green Lady need to thrust her sword out and catch the side of Amber's face, swiftly dragging it down from her temple, across her face, slashing through her bottom lip and cutting across to finish at her jaw, leaving a bloody trail behind.

Wincing with pain, Amber swung her sword back and knocked the Green Lady's sword away from her bloody face. This time Amber was ready for the Green Lady's forceful strength, and retaliated with all her might, swinging her sword expertly, swiftly, knocking back blows and jabbing some of her own.

Unfortunately it didn't seem to be enough. Amber's newfound strength and drive faded slowly, and The Green Lady's almighty force overpowered hers, as once again she pushed Amber back a few steps with a strong blow, knocking her sword from her hand in the process. Giving Amber no chance to retrieve it, the Green Lady leaped forward and drove her sword toward Amber, who ducked just in time, jumping back a few steps. The Green Lady growled in frustration and stabbed again, jabbing repeatedly at Amber, who ducked and dodged desperately, whilst attempting to skirt around her to grab her dropped sword.

Another step backwards sent Amber tripping over an overgrown root sticking awkwardly out of the ground, causing her to fall back flat on her ass. Immediatly the Green Lady swung her sword back, and brought it down on her with sudden ferocity.

Momentarily, Amber saw death approach her in the form of the tip of a blade speeding toward her. Then Amber rolled quickly to her left, and made to get up, but speedily rolled back to the right when the Green Lady's sword came back down for her.

Snarling again in irritation, the Green Lady brought her sword down yet again hastily, giving Amber no time whatever to move. Doing the first thing that came into her mind, Amber's hands shot out and grabbed the jagged blade just as it reached mere inches from her face, and pushed it back with all her might.

The Green Lady stood above her, hissing in aggravation, a vein protruding in her forehead, a light sheen of sweat covering her face as she pushed down the sword toward Amber with all her might. Amber growled in frustration, a scream of pain threatening to rip from her lips as she gripped the razor-sharp blade with just her mere hands, pushing back as hard as she could, sweat and blood dripping down her face. The blade was incredibly, _incredibly_ sharp, and Amber could feel and see the warm blood gushing from her palms, dropping down onto her face and running down her arms as the blade dug deeper into her palms.

As weariness overcame her, the Green Lady gained a few inches, the blade coming dangerously close to her face. In an act of desperation, Amber quickly yanked the sword far to the right and let go. Taken by suprise, the Green Lady jerked to the side and then fell forward onto the ground with a thud.

Seizing the opportunity, Amber leapt to her feet. Realising that she stood no chance whatsoever against the Green Lady, she did the first thing that came to mind, and bolted.

She shot through the trees like a bullet from a gun, ignoring the branches, thorns and briars scratching at her as she ran, ignoring the desperate craving for oxygen from her lung, ignoring the stinging wounds carved into her face, her hands, and the blood gushing from them.

She came from behind her quite suddenly, wrapping her lean arms around Amber's legs and dragging her down with an enraged shriek. Hastily wriggling loose from her grip, Amber stood, grabbing an arrow from her back and then turning and driving it into The Green Lady's side.

The Green Lady howled in pain, clutching her leg as she struggled quickly to her feet. She glared at Amber with crazed eyes momentarily before lunging for her, and knocking her back with sudden, unexpected force into a tree about fifty feet away. Once again, Amber felt herself flying through the air for a split second, feeling as light as a feather, with just the sound of the forest whooshing past her.

And then she crashed into the tree, knocking her head back, her entire body cracking snapping before she fell to the ground in a crumpled, twisted, bloody heap, moaning in severe pain.

Slowly, the Green Lady approached her. Amber watched her blearily, her gaze blurry. She made no effort to move, not _able_ to move. The Green Lady limped slightly, the arrow still in her side, breathing heavily. Sweat ran down the sides of her face, mixed with a little blood dripping from her nose where Amber had punched her. Breathing in deeply, she reached Amber's crumpled, half-conscious form, and crouched down beside her, the sound of her ragged breathing being all Amber could hear.

Sneering, she roughly grabbed a handful of Amber's matted hair, caked with blood and damp from sweat, and yanked her head to the side to face her, earning a muffled cry from the rather groggy Amber. The Green Lady didn't say anything, just smirked painfully at Amber as she yanked the lodged arrow from her side. She grimaced slightly, and then, smiling like a madman, she drove it into Amber's upper thigh.

Jolted from her numbed state, an agonised, anguished scream ripped from Amber's lips, as the Green Lady laughed madly by her side.

Then suddenly the Green Lady's laughter was cut off as something crashed into her, tackling her to the ground. As quick as she could, Amber struggled to drag herself upright, clutching the tree for support as her wounded leg trembled under her weight. Her head spun for a moment, her vision still blurry. She bit down hard on her lip in an effort to hold back her cries of pain, and she turned to see the cause of the interruption.

The Green Lady was lying back on the ground, a fresh cut slashed across her pretty face, as she stared in shock at Breanne, who stood above her, between her and Amber, holding Amber's fallen sword in her hands. Keeping her eyes and the sword trained on the Green Lady, Breanne took a few steps backward to Amber and shoved her slightly, gently.

"Go." She whispered urgently, pressing the hilt of the sword into her bloody hands, and quickly pulling out one of her own from somewhere beneath her skirts. "Remember the note. Remember what I told you! Go!"

Amber frowned slightly, her mind groggy. The note...

"_Listen carefully to me. I'll be there, when she comes for you. And when I tell you to run, you run, ok? No questions, no protests, just run."_

Ignoring the throbbing pain coming from everywhere in her body,she looked desperately at Breanne, who had positioned herself in a half-crouched position, watching warily as the Green Lady slowly, unsteadily got to her feet, glaring at Breanne with narrowed eyes.

"I can't...I can't just leave you here!" she whispered frantically, clutching her leg as waves of agony rushed through her.

Breanne moved slightly to the left as the Green Lady slowly raised her sword above her head.

"You're going to regret that, Breanne." She hissed.

Breanne didn't reply, keeping her gaze focused on the Green Lady as she began to stalk forward, slowly, surely. "I'll be fine!" she snapped anxiously to Amber. "Just go! _Go_!" she urged.

Amber felt a lump rise in her throat, as she looked frenziedly back and forth. "I...I..."

The Green Lady lunged forward at the same time that Breanne did, their swords meeting in an ear-splitting crash of metal. Looking briefly back at Amber, Breanne screamed desperately at her.

"Amber_, run_!"

Choking on a sob, Amber reluctantly turned and ran as fast as she could, tears of agony and despair running down her cheeks, mixing with the sweat and the blood coating her face. She clutched her bloody leg as she dashed through the trees, gasping in anguish as ripples of pain rushed up through her body.

She ran on blindly, ignoring the searing pain in her bloody leg. She left the sounds of clashing metal behind her as she sprinted further and further through the forest. With each step, blood gushed and spurted from the horrific gash in her mutilated leg. Blood still flowed from the gash embedded in her face, and blood still poured from the deep gashes in her hands. An overwhelming sense of dizziness began to come over her from the growing loss of blood, and her growing lack of oxygen.

Another brutal stab of pain cursed through her, causing her gory, blood covered leg to buckle and give way, sending Amber crashing to the forest floor with a cry of anguished pain.

She lay curled up on the ground, unable to move, just sobbing in agony, misery. _How _could she have left Breanne behind? _Why_ had she? Should she go back? She had the feeling that even if she wanted to, she wouldn't be able to go back. Would she die here? What if-

The sound of thumping hooves from far away snapped her from her thoughts, causing her head to snap up, listening desperately.

The sound was clear, undoubtedly horses hooves, and they seemed to coming closer, the sound increasing gradually. Pushing all thoughts of pain and fatigue out of her mind, Amber awkwardly stood, ignoring all protests from her battered, bruised and broken body. With an exhausted intake of breath, Amber bolted yet again. She couldn't make it this far and fail.

She struggled as she ran like the wind, bursting through shrubs and hedges, jumping over fallen branches in her path, ducking under low branches protruding from the trees, hobbling awkwardly with every fleeting step. She sprinted as fast as she could, with no direction, dodging and manoeuvring through the trees, disregarding all thoughts for her severely injured leg, which slowed her down considerably. She felt herself becoming breathless, her lungs burning, gasping for much needed oxygen. The only thing driving her on was the sound of the hooves in the distance.

What were mere minutes seemed like endless hours to Amber as she dashed through the forest at breathtaking speed, considering the state of her leg. She pushed herself, putting her many years of rigorous training to the test. However, Amber could sense that her pursuer was gaining ground on her. Slowly, but they were still gaining ground. The sound of thumping hooves was closer and ever-growing, a steady rhythm against the forest floor, the sound growing louder in her ears.

Desperately trying to think of ways to escape her follower, Amber picked up on the sound of rushing water, which seemed to be coming from somewhere on her left. Acting on impulse, she veered sharply to the left, and drew on her last reserves of energy, exerting herself, despite the wild protests from her many wounds.

The sound of the hooves faltered for a moment, and then picked up again, still on her trail. Gritting her teeth determinedly, racing through the trees swiftly. Her leg was hurting her severely now, even worse than before, and she couldn't help but gasp in pain with each breath she took. Amber felt the warm torrents of blood running down her sweaty leg, soaking through her tattered skirts. It slowed her down considerably, and soon Amber could hear the sounds of a horse's laboured breathing coming from somewhere behind her, the sound of tack rattling with each thud.

Clenching her fists resolutely and ignoring the horrible feel of fresh blood on her slashed palms, Amber pushed herself as much as she could, every muscle in her body throbbing, blood gurgling from her leg, her face, and her hands. Her feet pounded against the forest floor, lost in the sound of the horse's hooves as her follower gained ground steadily.

Bursting through a shrub in her path, the trees suddenly ended, making way for a clear run of a few hundred feet to a cliff. The sound of water was clear now, driving Amber to push herself further in the last stretch, push herself just that little bit more.

As she neared the periphery, a gruff voice yelled out from behind her.

"No, stop!"

Amber paid no heed, mere inches from the verge. Throwing caution to the wind, she didn't stop running when she reached the edge, and threw herself recklessly off the cliff edge.

For about five seconds, everything went in slow motion. Amber could see the dark water below her creeping closer with each passing second. She could feel her lungs take in a much needed mouthful of oxygen. She could feel the relief rushing through her, feel the burning of her legs and arms, and feel the cold wind, which was a refreshing breeze against her sweaty, burning face. She heard another desperate yell of "_No!_" from somewhere above her, and momentarily wondered who it was. Then lastly, she heard herself gasp as she closed the distance between the water and herself.

She plunged suddenly into the icy river, submerging herself underneath. The brief silence that had surrounded her for a mere five seconds was suddenly replaced by the overwhelming, hollow sound of _nothing_. Freezing water swirled around her, yanking her back and forth, filling her eyes, her ears, and her nose, everywhere. She floundered desperately, struggling to find a way out, trying to find the surface.

She spun aimlessly, endeavouring to hold her breath, feeling her nose tickle annoyingly from the water, her ears become muffled with the hollow, echoing sound of water, her lungs steadily tightening, becoming increasingly uncomfortable as they lost their capacity to breathe. Every part of her body was begging and pleading for her to breathe, breathe.

Suddenly, Amber felt herself break the icy surface with a gasp, choking on water, gasping for breath. A ferocious wave smashed into her, dragging her back, and somehow leaving her lying on her back on the shore, breathless, her lungs burning.

She felt a wave of relief wash over her, as she lay there, breathing heavily. Her mind spun, struggling to focus. She thought of Breanne. Was she ok? Where was she now?

And what about Edmund, was he OK too?

A stab of pain from her leg broke her train of thoughts. Wincing, she dragged herself up wearily. Slowly, warily, she pulled up the hem of her ragged, blood-soaked dress to examine the cause of her pain.

She grimaced at the sight of the bloody mess where the Green Lady had stabbed her. What had started out as a nasty, deep gash, had been severely worsened by her running, and was now stretched, her skin ripped around it, swollen into purple, tender lumps, and still gushing dark, crimson blood that ran like a river across her leg and dripped onto the ground beside her, leaving a nasty pool of red that was growing by the second.

Her hands were no better, the incident of idiotically grabbing hold of the Green Lady's sword leaving its mark. Deep slashes marked each palm, becoming slightly swollen around the edges, surrounded by dry and fresh blood. Luckily, the gash on her face seemed to have stopped bleeding, and now all Amber could feel was the growing stiffness, as the dry blood caked around the open, stinging wound.

Another sharp wave of agony rippled through her leg. Wincing in pain, Amber gingerly took hold of the hem of her frayed dress, cautious of her hands, and ripped off a strip of material. Slowly, she carefully, tentatively, wrapped the strip around the wound, gritting her teeth as she tightened it, and secured it in a knot.

Almost immediatly, the material turned a deep shade of red as the blood soaked through. Amber sighed in frustration, too exhausted to do anything else. All the blood loss had drained her, and a feeling of light-headedness was taking over her as she lay back against the damp grass.

Turning her head to the side, she suddenly became aware of the dark figure standing a few feet away, watching her silently. Her eyes widened in suprised horror and immediatly, she struggled awkwardly to her feet, swaying slightly, placing most of her weight on her right leg whilst yanking her bow and arrow out, stringing it in a mere second and positioning it.

"Show yourself." She snapped weakly, her voice no more than a whisper, coming out rough, exhausted. Inwardly, she was going into panic mode. She was in no condition to do _anything_, whatsoever.

The figure remained motionless for a moment, and then slowly reached up and pulled back their hood, staying rooted to the spot.

A suprised silence followed.

"Caspian?" Amber finally exclaimed; relief and fatigue clear in her raspy voice.

Caspian moved out of the darkness slowly, coming to stand in front of her, looking at her incredulously. "Amber." He breathed slowly.

A horrified look crossed his face as he looked over her. His expression turned disbelieving, terrified again, then concerned, disbelieving and then starting all over again. Amber remained silent during his scrutiny, the feeling of dizziness returning to her, as black spots danced in front of her eyes.

"Amber." He repeated, his quiet voice conveying his shock. "What the _hell_ happened to you?"

Amber shivered at the memory, swaying slightly as the feeling of light-headedness rushed through her again. She shrugged self-consciously. "I...it's nothing..." she whispered wearily, her voice scratchy.

Caspian's eyebrows shot up disbelievingly. "_Nothing_?" he exclaimed. "Are you _mad_?" he shook his head slightly, before gently taking hold of her elbow. "Come on." He muttered. "You need help, right now." He began walking slowly toward his horse, which was tied to the branch of a nearby tree.

Amber took a ginger step, dizziness causing her to sway slightly. Suddenly, she came to an abrupt stop.

"I can't go." She stated.

Caspian frowned. "You're right. I should probably carry you, you're-"

Amber shook her head desperately. "No, no!" she protested feebly, her whispers hoarse. She ignored the black spots blurring her vision. "You don't get it!" she wheezed, her voice cracking.

Caspian looked at her concernedly. "Seriously, Amber, you're not well. You need-"

"She has Breanne!" Amber exclaimed urgently. "The Green Lady has Breanne!"

Caspian froze, staring at Amber, speechless.

"She got her." Amber repeated dazedly. "I have to save her." She said determinedly, conviction in her broken voice. She pulled her arm from Caspian, and took one teetering step away, ignoring the dizziness that rushed through her head.

Caspian stared after her momentarily, a dazed expression on his frozen face, before shaking his head quickly, and catching up with her in one easy step.

"Amber." He said soothingly, uncertainly, taking hold of her arm again. "You're not well. You-"

Amber whirled around quickly, her vision blurring for a second as she swayed on her feet. "No! I have...I have to save her..." she protested feebly, breathing in deeply as oxygen escaped her, shivering slightly.

Caspian momentarily released his hold on her, reaching up to take off his cloak to give to her. "Amber, seriously, you're out of it." He said unsurely, shaking his head worriedly.

Amber stood unsteadily, struggling to focus. "But...I have to." She whispered. "Breanne...she's...she's my..."

She couldn't finish, as the darkness took over her vision, and she collapsed to the ground in a bloody, crumpled heap.

**i received a review that concerns me - i'm not going to mention any names or anything. it was an issue that was raised, and i was wondering if anyone else was feeling the same way?**

** should this story's rating be moved up to M? personally, i wouldn't have thought so, but maybe for safety? let me know what you think, anyway.**

** and plus, i want to change the name of this story. i don't know why, but i just don't like the current name.**

** so please, drop a review, leave name suggestions, and your feelings on the story's rating(:**

** I WOULD ALSO RECCOMEND YOU GO SEE THE HANGOVER 2. EPIC.**

** enough said.**


	23. Chapter 23

**I should probably start of by explaining why I changed the name of the story. It's quite a simple reason, really- I just didn't like it. It also has something to do with a review that asked if there would be a sequel. In response to that question, yes, I think there might be. I have a load of ideas in my head for Amber and Edmund in the future, so I decided to simply call this story 'The Beginning', cos, that's pretty much what it is.**

**Moving on, for those of you who don't know already, in the a/n at the beginning of the last chapter, I asked if I should change the rating to M. I thought there might be a majority of people going for either yes or no, but the response was fairly divided, with some people saying yes, some no. Mixed messages much? :L But, keep the opinions coming. For now, I think I'll just let you all know at the beginning of each chapter whether it's smutty or not. Does that sound good?**

** I think I've gone on long enough now, haven't I?**

**Chapter Twenty Three**

**Edmund POV**

The light rays of the very early morning sun were peeping through the leaves of the surrounding trees, their vagueness lost within the plumes of smoke that wafted around the camp, drifting lazily through the trees, casting a light blue haze over everything. The atmosphere was quiet, peaceful. It was the atmosphere of a relaxed aftermath.

With an exhausted sigh, Edmund dropped down onto the damp grass coating the forest floor, resting his aching back against a tree trunk, balancing his breakfast on a tray gingerly on his lap. Yawning, he rubbed a weary hand against his bruised, tender, jaw, wincing slightly as he did so. Stretching his stiff neck, he rolled it around on his shoulders, trying to relieve the tautness in his aching muscles.

Despite all his aches and pains, the invasion could be written off as a success. As planned, the Telmarines had been taken completely by suprise as the Narnian's had invaded and wreaked absolute havoc, rampaging their camp. The Telmarines uncoordinated response, their disarrayed state, and of course their utter confusion had proved a great help in making the Narnian's success a hell of a lot easier.

And right now, the surviving Telmarine men who had surrendered were being rounded up by a few select soldiers. Most likely, they would be exported to the Seven Isles, or somewhere else. Edmund really couldn't care less where they went, as long as they weren't here/

Mentally evaluating himself, he came to the conclusion that luckily, he had managed to remain mostly unscathed throughout the battle. A few cuts, bruises, and blows left their mark, and of course, the following pain, but nothing of major concern.

In fact, looking around now, the majority of the Narnian army had survived with very few casualties, thanks to the Telmarines utter stupidity. The delight from the easily won battle could be clearly seen in the hoards of soldiers that were milling about the bustling campsite, laughing loudly and talking excitedly amongst each other, sharing their own recounts of the fight, and proudly comparing their battle scars they had earned. Their exaggerated, embellished versions of their heroic win despite the 'brilliance, the high standard and the intelligence' of the Telmarine army could be heard as they all queued up for various stalls providing the armies breakfast.

Edmund smiled slightly to himself, picking lazily at his own fry. Being royalty did have its advantages; you get served first.

As tired and exhausted as he was, he still kept a careful look out with alert eyes, for a certain someone in the vast crowd around him.

He felt nervous, excited, worried, anxious, concerned, tense, just to name a few emotions that were buzzing within him, with thoughts of his next meeting with Amber.

Just the mere thought of Amber had his cheeks flushing a warm red. Last night had been incredible, unbelievable, and undeniably, one of the _best_ nights of his entire life. Despite the warmth, a shiver ran down his spine at the memory of the thrilling kiss, the feel of her soft, tentative lips on his, the growing lust and desire that had surged within him. It had taken him a hell of a lot of willpower to leave her last night after such a mind-blowing kiss. But he had figured it would be best to leave right then, before his crazy, Amber-craving hormones got the better of him. It he hadn't forced himself to leave there and then, he might not have been able to leave at all.

The only thing that worried Edmund now, was that last night may have meant absolutely nothing to Amber. Without a doubt, it had certainly meant absolutely everything to him. But now he worried that it may have made things between them slightly awkward, weirdly different, or maybe, even ruined their friendship completely. Or maybe she didn't even like him. Maybe, she had been unwell last night. Or maybe she had been drinking! What if she had been drinking and everything had been a terrible, tragic mistake?

Edmund shook his head sharply to himself. _Snap out of it_.

Sure, it could be true, but he couldn't afford to think like that. Otherwise he'd never have the balls to go near Amber again.

"King Edmund!" a perky voice exclaimed from above him, interrupting his chain of thought.

Edmund started in suprise, his head snapping up to see a young boy looking down at him rather nervously. He sighed in annoyance when he glanced back down to see that, when he had started in suprise at being interrupted by the sprout, he had dropped his mouthful of food off his fork, onto the ground. Irretrievable.

_Damn_. He had been looking forward to that.

The young boy above him hopped anxiously from foot to foot, looking as though he needed to pee badly. "I beg your pardon, your majesty." He said quickly, looking like he thought Edmund might bite his head off.

Edmund didn't lift his gaze from his plate, trying to reassemble another forkful of food.

The boy danced worriedly on his feet, obviously at loss at what to do with an inattentive Edmund. "I ...well...King Caspian _urgently_ requests your presence on the east side of the camp." He said it like it was a question, uneasily awaiting Edmund's response.

Finally, Edmund successfully managed to put together a forkful of food. Inwardly sighing with relief, he shovelled it into his mouth. He relished the food, chewing thoroughly, swallowing slowly. The whole time, he could feel the boy's expectant eyes on him. Finally, he finished, and looked up the boy, who was still looking at him, beginning to wonder if Edmund had even heard him.

"Urgently?" he said sceptically, raising an eyebrow.

Edmund could practically see the relief wash through the boy at his response. He nodded fervently, nodding his head as though his life depended on it. "Someone's _really_ hurt." He whispered in hushed tones, like it was the most shocking, top-secret news in Narnia. "I saw them. It was _disgusting_!" he looked aghast.

Edmund frowned in irritation, going back to his food. There were _hundreds_ of individuals who had gotten badly injured in the battle. Caspian couldn't possibly expect him to visit them all individually.

"Look kid." He mumbled through a mouthful. "Loads of people are really hurt. I'm no doctor. Not much I can do." He shrugged.

The boy looked horrified. "But you should see them! I mean, they can't even move the person! It's that bad! _Really_ bad!" the boy waved his arms wildly. "Blood _everywhere_! Their insides are coming _outside_!"

Edmund rolled his eyes, sighing in exasperation. "Fine. Tell him I'll be there when I'm ready."

Looking unsatisfied, the boy nodded quickly, bowing wobbly and leaving, scurrying into the bustling crowd.

Edmund hadn't even breathed a sigh of relief, or taken another mouthful of food for that matter, when the boy suddenly reappeared from the crowd, looking slightly nervous. He tentatively approached an unaware Edmund.

"I'm sorry your majesty-"he began nervously, wringing his hands.

Edmund groaned in exasperation, looking up from his food yet _again_.

"Oh what _now_?" he exclaimed.

The boy took a subtle step away from the frustrated king. "Well, see, I forgot to mention...just cos I was trying to remember about all the rest, you see..."

"What_ is_ it?" Edmund said impatiently.

The boy looked at him blankly for a moment.

"You said you forgot to mention...?" Edmund probed, ready to throw something at the idiot. Didn't the chap understand that Edmund was bloody _hungry_?

The boys face flushed in embarrassment as realization quickly dawned. "Oh right, yes, _that_. My apologies, your majesty, I forgot again, and then-"

"_What is it_?" Edmund exclaimed in exasperation.

The boy took another step back. "Right, sorry." He said quickly. "Caspian said it was essential that I tell you that the one who is injured, her name is...Amber?" the boy said uncertainly.

Edmund froze, staring up at the boy in horror.

The boy looked terrified when he caught glance of Edmund's expression. "I...Caspian said you'd find it important!" he defended.

Edmund remained motionless, his eyes fixed on the boy in horror, hoping, praying that he got it wrong.

"What...what did you say her name was?" he said hoarsely, his eyes not moving from the boys face.

The boy frowned unsurely. "Amber?" he replied worriedly.

And with that, Edmund leapt to his feet, knocking his plate from his lap in his haste, all food and hunger and everything else forgotten as he dashed through the forest like a bat out of hell.

**XXX**

"_Where is she_?" Edmund shouted urgently, out of breath as he reached the doctors tent, outside which Peter and Caspian stood with worried expressions on both of their faces. He stopped abruptly, looking around him desperately. "What's wrong with her? What happened? Is she-"

Caspian shook his head quietly, urgently, motioning for Edmund to shut up, and then looked pointedly to the trees before him.

Just breaking free of the trees, six large men were carefully, and painfully slowly, carrying a battered-looking Amber atop a canvas stretcher supported with timber frames. As he caught sight of her, Edmunds worried frown was quickly replaced with an expression of absolute horror.

Little by little, the men reached the awed, silent onlookers, stopping a few feet from the doctor's tent. Carefully, cautiously, they lowered the stretcher slowly to the ground, trying desperately to avoid causing her any more pain.

As the men backed slowly away, Edmund took a few slow, ginger steps forward, looking at her in dismayed, horrified, appalled shock.

Initially describing her as battered had been a massive, colossal understatement. The canvas of the stretcher that was supporting her was stained a deep, dark shade of vibrant crimson, completely soaked through with fresh blood, which seemed to be pouring from every part of Amber. Her pained, anguished face was barely identifiable, bearing a deep, horrible gash which made its way from her right temple across her pale, blood-covered face, cutting off at her left jaw, leaving caked rivers of blood, dried and fresh, running across her face, and trailing on down her neck. One of her bloody, red hands rested limply on her stomach, splattered crimson. The other hand hung limply over the edge of the canvas; giving Edmund the full horrible view of the gruesome carving in her palm, leaking blood. It looked like someone had taken a knife and dragged it across her palm, digging in deep as they did so.

Red, blood covered, tattered material stuck to her torso. Down past her waist, on her left upper thigh, her tattered dress was ripped right up, exposing the horrific, ghastly gash embedded deep in her leg, from which blood lazily trailed, spurting and gurgling, trailing down her leg, soaking through her soiled dress and further staining her own marred body.

Edmund watched in silent, revolted horror, as she lay there, limp, lifeless, motionless...save for the _barely_ detectable sharp breaths she took, and the occasional twitch of her head, and the pained grimace that passed over her troubled, bloody face.

"I found her beside the river, like this." Caspian said gravely, not moving his gaze from Amber. "And then she passed out."  
Edmund shook his head slowly to himself, slowly, cautiously kneeling down on the ground beside Amber's blood-drenched stretcher, trying, trying to process everything.

_This can't be happening._

No, it couldn't be happening. Not to Amber, of all people. He shook his head again to himself, defiantly.

_This isn't happening._

He reached out a shaking hand to lightly brush off her left cheek. As soon as his fingers came into contact with her warm, wet blood, coating her deathly cold skin, he snatched his hand back, as though he had been burned.

_No._

"I couldn't risk moving her." Caspian continued helplessly, sounding frustrated. "It only would have done her more harm than good. So I called for the doctor as quick as I could, and he attended to her there and then. He's coming back now, in just a minute."

Edmund shook his head yet again, disbelievingly, not taking his eyes off her. "What happened?" he whispered, to no one in particular.

Caspian frowned deeply. "I don't know for sure." He said carefully. "It looks like she was attacked..." he trailed off unsurely.

Edmund inwardly snorted. There was no doubt whatsoever that she had been attacked. How else could she have_ possibly_ ended up in this state?

Caspian's frown deepened. "I...well, before she blacked out, she said...well...she was saying something about...the Green Lady..." he trailed off yet again, clenching his teeth in obvious frustration.

Horrified realization crashed over Edmund, as he gazed at Amber's battered form helplessly.

_Of course._

The Green Lady had gotten her.

Edmund ran a hand through his hair, wishing he could hit something, anything. Himself.

The Green Lady _shouldn't_ have gotten her though. Maybe, if he had looked a little harder for her, that day he had come to the forest, he might have found her, and killed her. Then, he could have prevented this. He could have prevented Amber getting hurt.

Or maybe, if he had stuck to his guns, and not allowed Amber come with them at all, and left her back home as he had intended to, she would have been safe.

Or maybe, he could have stayed with her last night instead of leaving her alone in the forest with only a few men scattered around to keep watch. Why, oh _why_ had he done that?

Edmund growled in frustration, gritting his teeth, and balling his hand into a fist in his hair. With his free hand, he took Ambers limp hand in his own, feeling her sticky, warm blood press into his palm.

"This is all my fault." He muttered bitterly. What the hell had he been thinking? No, obviously he _hadn't_ been thinking. He should have taken care of the threat of the Green Lady when he had the chance. He shouldn't have allowed Amber to come with them to the Forbidden Forest. And he most _certainly_ shouldn't have left her alone. Especially not _here_, in this forest in particular, where the Green Lady was _known_ to reside. What the hell was _wrong_ with him?

"Ed, there's nothing you could have done." Peter reassured quietly from behind him.

Edmund ground his teeth in anger, ignoring Peter.

Breaking the heavy silence, one of the army's doctors suddenly appeared from a nearby tent, his face pinched and worried. Edmund quickly released Amber's bloody hand and stood upright, looking worriedly, expectantly at the doctor, a million questions buzzing in his mind, but unsure of which to ask first.

The doctor's grave eyes glanced through the surrounding crowd, before he motioned toward Amber, lying in her canvas stretcher on the ground.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush." He announced gravely. "I did a thorough examination. I fixed what I could, but it didn't make much difference. Her situation is _critical_."

A heavy silence ensued as those listening took in the news, processed it. Edmund felt his chest tighten, and breathing suddenly became difficult.

"How critical?" he whispered hoarsely, scared of the answer he might receive.

The doctor's mouth tightened into a thin line, his eyes serious, with a hint of sympathy. "Well, as you can see for yourself, she has suffered from severe injuries, and also extreme blood loss. Even as we speak, she's losing more blood, but I can't seem to stop it..." the doctor sighed wearily and shook his head. "I'm suprised she's still alive." He stated simply.

Edmund felt himself stop breathing altogether, and he his heart skipped a beat. His whole body went rigid, tense. He forced himself to take a deep breath in, restart his heart.

"She's...she's not going to..._die_? Is she?" he questioned hesitantly.

_Please say no, please say no, please say no, please say no..._

The doctor looked at Edmund apologetically.

"Without a doubt, Amber is a proper trouper, and she has some of us thinking she might be invincible, but..." the doctor sighed again and shrugged helplessly.

_Please, please, please, please..._

"I don't think even Amber can sustain such horrific injuries." The doctor finished quietly.

_DAMN YOU._

"She needs immediate, extreme medical attention, with the right medicines, materials and facilities. I'm afraid those required facilities aren't available here, in the middle of a forest. Without these, I'm sorry to say it, but she's only got an hour or so left. That's just-" he paused, looking at Edmund in alarm. "Your majesty, what are you-"

Somewhere throughout the doctor's speech, Edmund had finally gotten a hold on himself, and sprung into action. He leaned down and easily scooped up Amber in one clean sweep, ignoring the warm, sticky blood that caked her. He held her tight to him, cradling her in his arms.

"I'm taking her back, back to Cair Paravel." Edmund shouted over his shoulder, as he quickly jogged over to Philip, who was tied to a nearby tree, grazing lazily. Careful not to jostle Amber, he carried her over to Philip, who looked up alertly at his approach.

Glancing worriedly at Peter and Caspian, the doctor followed Edmund quickly, a worried expression on his face. "King Edmund, I understand your...upset, but I really don't think there's enough time." He pointed out.

Holding Amber tightly, Edmund mounted Philip, and laid her across his lap, still clutching her close to him. He looked angrily down at the doctor.

"She can get the medical attention she needs in Cair Paravel. She can _live_." He said shortly, adjusting Philips reins.

The doctor frowned, his face concerned. "But she hasn't got long left, King Edmund. Would it not be best to spend her last hours with her, and-"

Edmund glared at the doctor with blazing eyes. "And what?" he snapped furiously. "Sit around and watch her die?"

The doctor opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Edmund snorted.

"I'm not going to sit here, doing _nothing_, when I could be doing something to save her." He held up a hand when the doctor tried to speak. "I know she hasn't got much time left. But that's a chance I'm willing to take." He said icily. "She's _going_ to live. She's _not_ dying on my watch." Edmund finished determinedly.

The doctor looked at Edmund for a moment, as if considering arguing further, but then thought better of it. Nodding slightly, he took a few steps back, as Peter and Caspian appeared alongside Edmund, saddled up, and ready to go. Almost instantly, the royal guard appeared alongside them, flanking them, awaiting instruction.

Edmund glanced briefly at the by standing doctor, who acknowledged him with a tip of his head and a murmured "Good luck." Nodding back, Edmund squeezed Philips sides and they shot out of the camp with a thunder of hooves and dust.

**Oh...drama...**

** I'm so happy to finally have broken 100 reviews. I know it took awhile, but I'm still grateful. I know some people probably find this story a bit ooc-even I do at times! It's really different from the movies-it can take some getting used to. But I'm really grateful towards those who have stuck by the story, and please, continue to do so. Thank you 3**

** Review? Oh, well, if you insist ;)**


	24. Chapter 24

**Soooorryy for the long wait :/ but better late than never right?**

** No chit chat. on we go ;D**

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

**Amber POV**

_It was loud, so loud._

_She couldn't hear anything, not a sound. Yet the noise thrumming within her head was deafening, unbearable, pounding in her ears, blocking out everything._

_She couldn't place the noise. She couldn't place anything. Her head was spinning, spiralling, tumbling, and not focusing on anything. She felt light-headed, but then again her head felt heavy, and she was unable to move, unable to feel herself._

_A million thoughts spun through her head, her mind unable to register any one thought. All she could pinpoint was the pain, the unbearable, excruciating pain._

_It stung, ached, throbbed from every part imaginable in her battered, bruised, and defeated body. She could already feel her worn out heart giving up. One forced beat, another exerted beat, and then it skipped one. Each beat seemed to take an enormous amount of effort, too much effort. And the process continued, her fragile heart struggling against the overwhelming darkness slowly creeping up inside her._

_She wished she could scream. Scream like hell, to try and distract herself from the agony attacking her, crippling her from every nook and cranny within her. A sense of desperation rose within her. She wanted to run. But where? There was nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide. The desperation intensified._

_There was a dark thing coming. Awhile ago, it had just been a niggling shadow, hiding in the corner. But it was growing. It was casting a shadow over her, slowly growing bigger, a menacing thing within her. But she couldn't do anything. She couldn't tell where it was coming from, or what it was doing, or how to stop it. It was like a black sea, creeping up, washing over her, poisoning her, choking her, muffling her, pulling her down within its deep, murky, black depths._

_She felt light, and empty, in a bad way. It was like she was hollow, void, empty, drained. There was nothing inside anymore. Nothing but the black thing. It was swallowing everything, eating her up._

_She wished someone would help, wished someone would take away the excruciating pain. No, she wished she could die. Anything to get rid of the agonizing, unbearable pain._

_Where was Edmund? He always knew what to do. He had always helped her. He'd help her now, right?_

_Something new registered briefly in her crazed, burning mind. A dull, but noticeable pain began in her chest, causing it to tighten, constrict, making it even harder to breath. She wished she could gasp for breath, fill her empty lungs with much needed oxygen, but she couldn't move at all. She was numb, so numb. Despite all the terrible, agonizing pain, she felt numb. She could move, couldn't do anything at all, except lie there, stiff, silent, still. Despite feeling empty and hollow, her whole body felt like a block of concrete, pulling and dragging her down into nothing._

_The pain increased in her chest, the once dull ache suddenly a blazing, agonizing, searing throbbing, causing her entire body to tighten and shudder, like she was having a seizure, except ten times worse._

_Her own thoughts became slow and sluggish, unfocused, blurry, her mind unable to process anything properly, unable to see clearly through the darkness that continued to consume her now. _

_Inwardly, Amber fought furiously, fighting fruitlessly against nothing._

_She felt her heart skip yet another beat, as it thrummed irregularly. The dark thing loomed closer. Her heart skipped another beat. And another._

_Is this what it feels like to die?_

**Edmund POV**

The sound of pounding hooves rang in Edmund's ears, driving him forward, every beat a reminder of each second passing, and with each passing second, the life that was draining from Amber.

He kept his exhausted eyes trained in front of him, occasionally glancing down at Amber, who had remained motionless in his arms throughout the entire journey.

They had been travelling for over half an hour, with no stops or pauses _whatsoever_. The aim was to get back to Cair Paravel in the shortest amount of time possible, where Amber could be professionally attended to, and hopefully have her life saved. In order to achieve this, all the men had been pushing their horses to their absolute limits, keeping up a furious gallop for the entire duration of their journey. Besides the thumping of hooves, he could hear the horse's laboured breathing, the froth coming from their mouth, the swinging of their tack...

He inwardly breathed a sigh of relief when the party broke free of the forest, and turned onto the dirt path that led home. Just half an hour left now, if they could keep up the pace, and maybe push themselves just a _little_ bit more...

But would Amber last that long?

Suddenly, he felt her entire body shudder in his arms, and then tighten, as though she was retreating into herself. A slight frown crossed her beautiful, marred features for a moment. Then abruptly, the most pained, agonized expression Edmund had ever seen in his life exploded on her face. Her mouth pulled back, like she was going to scream out in pain, but abruptly, it faded, her expression returning to the normal, dead expression that hadn't left her face for the past half an hour.

Her felt her draw in a ragged, deep breath as her chest constricted, and then another one. With each forced, uncertain breath, he felt his own chest tighten with worry, concern, desperation, determination.

He felt a wave of panic wash over him, not for the first time since the beginning of the journey. He tried to ignore it, push it to the back of his mind, and focused on the thudding of the horse's hooves around him.

_She's going to be ok. She's going to be ok. She's going to be ok._

_I hope._

**Aetak POV**

Aetak angrily paced through Amber's disarrayed room, inwardly seething.

Yesterday, when she had eventually made her way back to Amber's room, planning to reason with her over their fight, she had found it in an absolute state, and also, Amberless.

Aetak had then proceeded to search the entire castle from top to bottom, looking for Amber, growing increasingly worried when she didn't turn up anywhere.

She had then thoroughly searched the entire outside grounds-the gardens, the training yards, the stables, the recreation yards, and the beach, _everywhere_. _Nothing_. It had been around then that the sense of panic had begun to set in, millions of horrific possibilities playing out in her head, her anxiety mounting by the minute.

And then this morning, after a shaky night of disturbed, intermittent sleep, Aetak had been informed by a member of staff that Amber had accompanied the Narnian army to the Forbidden Forest, to fight the Telmarines.

"_Excuse me." Aetak said as politely as she could, her voice slightly strained, her worry clearly showing._

_The maid looked up from the piles of clothes laid out on the table before her, and smiled brightly at Aetak, showing yellow, crooked teeth, with a few missing. If she was in any way intimidated by a giant leopard talking to her, she didn't show it._

"_Well, hello there!" she said cheerily, a distinct accent ringing through her voice. "Lovely day today, don't you think? Isn't it just a picture? Then again, most days are like this in Narnia, ya know. Some say that the sun always stays here, hidin' from the northlands. Well, if I do say so myself, I would do the same, if I was the sun. Have ya ever seen summa the nasty creatures that come outta them northlands? Huge, ginormous yolks they are, and ugly too. Vicious people, they are. Probably slit you open, cut out your insides and eat them all up. Speakin' of eating, have ya tasted the soup today? I wouldn't bother if I were ya. Doesn't look particularly appealin', if i do say so myself. My opinion is, they ran outta stock again, and so they resorted to, ya know the stuff in the sewer after the people flush the toilet down? I was once made clean the sewer, ya know! Absolutely horrible, if I do say so myself. The things people eat! Dirty, dirty people. I could see it all in all their-"_

"_That's wonderful." Aetak cut across the rambling maid impatiently. Obviously, she didn't have many friends, and needed someone to tell her life story to. Well, it wasn't going to be Aetak._

"_I'm looking for Amber. You know, tall, pale, long dark hair, with-"_

"_Oh!" the maid looked incredibly excited. "Oh, yes, I know her! I know her well, so I do. I once cleaned her room, ya know! Mind you, there wasn't much to clean. Bit of a neat freak, that one. Compared to Queen Lucy, if I do say so myself! Ya should see her room! Terrible state, a terrible, terrible state! Ya'd swear she'd never heard of a wardrobe, or a drawer for that matter! Speakin' of which, have you heard that the Archenland people are choppin' down all the big forests to make a load of drawers and all that? Did ya ever hear of such a thing? Now, I'm no tree-hugger, but, if I do say so myself-"_

"_Fascinating." Aetak snapped irritably. "Have you seen her?"_

_The maid looked absolutely thrilled._

"_Oh, of course! I always see her, ya know, what with tidying her room and all that!" she lowered her loud voice a notch, leaning toward Aetak with a sly grin, as if she was about to share a groundbreaking secret. "And if I do say so myself, wherever King Edmund is, that's where Miss Amber will be! And vice versa! The two go together just lovely, ya know. They're a picture. Like...bread and butter! Milk and cookies! They go together lovely! Just lovely! Speakin' of milk, did ya hear about those dairy cows? What with all the hot weather, the cows are getting sunburnt! Sunburnt! Well, I never. Who even knew that cows could get sunburnt? I didn't, that's darn sure. And, you know, I once milked a cow, called Daisy. Did you know that? Speakin' of which-"_

"_Do you know where she is?" Aetak cut across her yet again._

_The maid looked at her blankly._

"_Daisy? The cow? Why, it's been-"_

_Aetak took in a deep breath. "No." She said through gritted teeth. "I'm looking for Amber."_

_Realization dawned over the maids face. "Oh, Miss Amber! Ya should have said so!" she shook her head at Aetak, tutting. "Now, that girl is sumthin' else, you know. Mind ya, she's nice, but I always had this hunch about that girl, so I did. Ya know who she reminds me of? Laugh at me if ya want, but what with her being so pale, and beautiful and all that, well, she just seems to be the spit of The White Witch, from the Northlands. Remember her? Of course, she's dead now, but still, I think Miss Amber looks quite like her. It's funny, don't you think? Well, I think so anyway. I get the funnies around her, ya know. She's quite...mysterious, if you know what I mean. I can't put my finger on it, but it's like she has summan to hide. Then again, King Edmund doesn't seem to mind much. Ya know, ya'd think-"_

"_Where is she?" Aetak yelled, exasperated._

_The maid looked startled, and her rambling cut off. "Oh, right, yes, sorry. Miss Amber, yes. Yesterday, the Kings went off to the Forbidden Forest. They caught the Telmarines out there, snoopin' around, secretly plannin' to attack us all. The cheek of them! Can ya believe it? Ya know, The Telmarines-"Aetak shot her a withering look as she began to go off on another irrelevant topic. The maid quickly stopped, looking apologetically at Aetak before trying again. "-right, yes, sorry...so yes, they were heading off to ambush them before they got us. Smart, those kings are. They have good heads on them, stuck well on their shoulders. Ya know, they say the best form of defence is attack. Or maybe - right, sorry, yes." She said hurriedly, as Aetak glared at her again. "So yes, Miss Amber. Yes, Miss Amber went off with them, to the Forest. Off to fight the Telmarines."_

Aetak honestly couldn't get her head around it. What the _hell_ was Amber playing at? She was supposed to bloody _kill_ Edmund, and here she was, running off to battle with him, fighting on their side.

Had she gone absolutely stark, raving _mad_? Had she really forgotten her responsibilities so carelessly, and forgotten how much depended on her right now? Did she not realise that her mother hadn't _asked_ her to kill Edmund, she had _ordered_ her to? Amber must know what her mother would do to her if this task wasn't carried out. But if she did know, was she just ignoring her? What was she playing at?

And more importantly, had she lost all care and concern for her own safety? Surely Amber knew by now that The Green Lady was known to reside in the Forbidden Forest. It was pretty much suicidal for Amber to go within a ten mile radius of the place. And there she was, heading straight there, walking right into the trap.

Now, Aetak worriedly paced Amber's empty room, debating whether it was too late to leave for the Forbidden Forest straight away, or send for help from Jadis. And then the sudden sound of pounding hooves, and urgent, panicked shouts distracted Aetak from her thoughts. Curiously, she made her way out to Amber's balcony, which overlooked the main castle courtyard below.

A crowd was gathering in the yard below, all looking expectantly at the entrance gates that lead into the courtyard from the outside town. Aetak could vaguely hear their hushed, frantic whispers amongst each other, as they all craned their necks to get a better view of something.

Aetak frowned, glancing around. She couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. There was nothing there. What were they looking at?

And then suddenly, the crowd abruptly dispersed with a few gruff shouts. They jumped to the sides, trying to make way for the small group of men on horseback, who suddenly burst through the gates with a clatter of hooves off the cobbled stone of the surface.

Aetak instantly recognised the Royal Guard, with King Peter, Caspian, and Edmund positioned up the front, leading the party

But what caught Aetak's eye was the limp, red figure that Edmund clutched in his arms.

As they neared the castle's main doors, Aetak could distinctly make out the blood drenched figure that was laid across his lap, their head resting on his shoulder, arms hanging limply, their legs dangling lifelessly on the side.

Aetak felt her stomach twist in sudden fear as Edmund pulled his horse to an abrupt halt outside the castle doors. He had nimbly leaped off before the horse had even fully stopped, cradling the limp bloody figure in his arms. Edmund started up the steps, taking them two at a time, shouting over his shoulder to Peter and Caspian, who were close behind him, all faces frantic and worried.

Aetak caught sight of one of Cair Paravel's doctors run out the castle door, meeting Edmund halfway down the steps. He immediatly began speaking urgently to Edmund, holding a clear tube to the person's throat as they dashed up the steps, taking their wrist, searching for a pulse. Then Aetak could see no more, as they disappeared through the castle doors.

Despite the warmth of the day outside, Aetak felt herself go cold.

_It couldn't be..._

**Jadis POV**

That morning, Jadis strode briskly out of her room, her face set in its usual cold, indifferent mask. The previous night's events were forgotten, but yet, they still stayed with her, the pain a dull throbbing in the back of her mind.

Trying to clear her head, she marched determinedly down the hallway, down the stairs, through the front hall and out through the doors into the cold, early morning. The sky was still a dark, hazy blue, with flecks of grey streaking through, signalling it was near morning. Mist hovered around, lazily wafting through the courtyard. The cold chills of night time frost stung at her, but she ignored the cold, marching on.

As required, Goren was waiting beside the castle gates, on horseback, with about a hundred men or so positioned behind him, each atop their own horse, rearing and ready to go.

Briefly forgetting her troubles, Jadis inwardly smirked as she neared the waiting men, thinking of what the Narnian's reaction might be. One thing she knew; they were about to get the suprise of their life. She was looking forward to seeing the expressions on their faces when they saw her. It would _unforgettable_. As far as everyone in Narnia knew, she was dead.

And now, here she was, turning up on their door for a chat.

Arriving at the assembled party, Goren held out the reins to a horse that was standing, saddled, at his side. Wordlessly, Jadis took hold of the reins and pulled herself atop the horse.

It would take approximately a day and a half to reach Cair Paravel, maybe less if possible. But was that enough time? She desperately hoped so.

Glancing over her shoulder, she received a nod from Goren, signalling they were ready to leave. With that, she whipped the reins of her horse, squeezing its sides, and raced out the castle gates, leaving a heavy silence behind them.

**Can I just say one thing?**

** I am so freaking excited for the last Harry Potter film. Like, embarassingly excited-counting down the days anal. (Here in Ireland, it's exactly two weeks away. TWO WEEKS!)**

** I better stop before I have a fit of some sort. **

** And hey, reviews would be nice, right? :L**


	25. Chapter 25

**I don't think I took THAT long updating this time...or, what I mean to say is I HOPE I didn't take that long :p**

**I think now would be a good time to finally put in a disclaimer? :L Just for all those people who hadn't known already (?) I don't own anything except my pitiful imagination.**

**See why I avoided it till now? I feel pathetic. Utterly pathetic.**

** WARNING - you know the way I said I'd warn you if theres any...action (winks suggestively) in the chapter? Well, there you go...can't say I didn't warn you...**

** But don't worry. It's not that bad. She won't get pregnant, or anything of the sort. You'll see. **

**Chapter Twenty Five**

**Edmund POV**

Edmund sat nervously on the rickety, wooden bench that lined the wall outside of the castles infirmary, folding and unfolding his arms, crossing and uncrossing his legs, reaching up every two seconds to run a hand through his messy hair, fidgeting anxiously.

Aetak sat tensely on the ground across from him, motionless, perfectly still, her deep eyes watching him with growing irritation, and an unreadable expression on her face.

The door to the infirmary suddenly opened with a slow creak, and a young girl dressed in a white uniform quietly stepped out, holding a jug of water in her hand.

"Is she OK?" Edmund exclaimed worriedly, rising to his feet.

The girl looked at him apologetically, her eyes sympathetic. "I'm sorry. I don't know." She mumbled. "I just provide food and stuff for the doctor."

Edmund sighed resignedly. He nodded dejectedly at the girl, and then slowly seated himself again.

Within thirty seconds, a mere half a minute, Edmund's right leg was hopping up and down nervously. Blood suddenly appeared on his lip, trickling down the side of his mouth, a result of him biting his own lip too hard.

Still, Aetak remained motionless, not even a hint of emotion evident on her empty face. Only the delicately raised eyebrow she aimed toward Edmund and his more than obvious agitation.

"Are you not worried? At all?" Edmund finally burst out, looking at Aetak desperately.

Aetak's face immediatly hardened, her eyes going cold. "Just because I do not show my concern as blatantly as you do, does not mean that I am not worried. I _am_ worried, _incredibly_ so." Aetak hissed, icy venom in her voice.

Looking taken aback, Edmund remained silent for a moment, trying to cease all signs of his nervousness, his worry.

"I'm sorry." He sighed, after a minute's heavy silence. "I'm just...just so..." he trailed off, words evading him. Propping his elbows on his knees, he buried his head in his hands.

Aetak shook her head brusquely. "She'll be fine." She said shortly.

Edmund's head jerked up, looking at Aetak with wide, frantic eyes. "What? How can you know?" he said, sounding suprised, hopeful.

Aetak frowned, her face thoughtful. "The Green Lady doesn't leave anyone alive, not if she wants them dead." She said gravely. "If she wanted Amber dead, which she appears to, Amber would be dead right now. Either that, or Amber was just _incredibly _lucky." Her face tightened.

Edmund thought over this for a moment, staring at the floor in contemplation, before looking up at Aetak with a worried, agitated frown.

"Why...why does she want Amber dead?" he asked quietly, gazing at Aetak.

Aetak looked at him silently, thoughtful. "I..." she hesitated momentarily. "I...don't know." She said carefully, looking uncomfortable all of a sudden.

Edmund frowned at this. He sat back in his seat again, resting his head wearily against the wall and folding his arms. Why would anyone want to kill Amber? What could their motives be? What would they gain? Why _Amber_? Even just the mere thought of it...

Pushing the unwelcome, unpleasant images from his mind, he sat forward yet again. Burying his head in his hands, he let out a weary sigh.

"You should get some rest." Aetak said suddenly. Her tone sounded offhand, but there was an undercurrent to her voice that he couldn't quite place. It sounded almost...challenging.

At this, Edmund bristled slightly, sitting up straight and folding his arms defiantly. "I'm fine." He responded shortly, blinking extra hard to make himself look more awake.

Aetak raised an eyebrow quizzically, her mouth in a disapproving line. "It's been a long two days." She pushed.

Edmund narrowed his eyes at Aetak. "I'm not going anywhere." He replied firmly.

A flash of irritation passed over Aetak's face before she hastily masked it. She looked at Edmund evenly, her face expressionless yet again.

It continued like this for awhile, Aetak frowning concernedly while looking thoughtfully at Edmund, who sat poker straight on the bench, trying to appear as awake and alert as he possibly could.

Then suddenly, Aetak sighed resignedly. She looked almost defeated, and suddenly all Edmund could see all the emotions that had been hiding beneath her careful mask. And The anxiety, the weariness, the distress, it was etched all over her exhausted face, and it floored Edmund.

"You _really_ care about her, don't you." She said quietly, her eyes sad.

Edmund was unsure of how to reply. It hadn't sounded like a question, more like a statement, or a conclusion of sorts that she had come to on her terms.

Taking Edmund's silence as confirmation, Amber nodded slowly, briefly, before lapsing back into silence again.

Edmund resumed fidgeting frantically after a minute, his leg hopping madly again.

"You shouldn't, you know." Aetak suddenly said, her voice grave, as she looked at Edmund with eyes that held a slight hint of pleading.

Edmund looked up, distracted from counting the floor tiles yet again. "Sorry?" he said politely.

Aetak eyed him with a hint of impatience. "You shouldn't care for Amber." She repeated.

Edmund felt his eyebrows rise in suprise, and confusion, as he stared at Aetak in perplexity. He certainly hadn't been expecting _this_.

"Why do you say that?" he asked carefully, leaning forward slightly, watching her carefully.

Aetak looked at him blankly for a moment, as if unsure of what to say. Her face looked unsure, hesitant.

"Well." She began slowly, pausing hesitantly.

Edmund looked at her expectantly, waiting. "Well?" he probed after a minute, his eyes questioning.

Aetak glared at him, obviously put out with his persistence on the subject. "Well...you...you're too _young_." She said quickly, her voice lacking conviction. "As a King of Narnia, you should be focusing wholly on your royal duties, and not recklessly chasing after women. You would do well to remember that, King Edmund." She finished stiffly.

Edmund raised an eyebrow dubiously. "Is that it? I'm too _young_?" he said sceptically.

Aetak scowled at him in response.

Edmund folded his arms. "If we're going to be technical about it, I'm nineteen, and fast approaching my twentieth birthday. And Amber is eighteen, so she is officially a woman now. So age, Aetak, is not an issue here at all." He smiled slightly, his tone mocking. "You'd do well to remember that."

Anger flashed through Aetak's eyes, as Edmund threw her own words back at her. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"But there are _countless_ more women out there." Aetak argued angrily. "Plenty more fish in the sea, a lot more apples on the tree, etc, etc, etc." her eyes narrowed further as she glared at him. "You know, you shouldn't...you shouldn't go counting your chickens before they hatch." Her voice faltered hesitantly, and she began to sound unsure, struggling for the right words. "Because for all you know, there could be...nicer...chickens out there, if you know what I mean." She rambled.

Edmund snorted at the thought of other 'chickens', as Aetak described them. All other women Edmund had ever met had been dull, simpering, twittering idiots, who wore frilly dresses that made them look like puff pastry, and feathered dresses, making them look like some sort of wild bird. Not to forget the bright red lipstick and glowing red cheeks. They looked like they had had a fight with a box of crayons. But it was just terrible, terrible make-up that made them look like something akin to the court jesters.

They acted like jesters too, making bad jokes with bad punch lines, attempting to talk politics and law, but getting it all terribly, terribly wrong, whilst fanning themselves continuously, and looking at Edmund with what seemed to be their idea of seduction – i.e., wearing the lines of their dresses dangerously low, laughing outrageously at every little thing he said, regardless of whether it was funny or not, brushing off him 'coincidentally' every two seconds in what they thought to be a flirtatious manner and batting their eyes so hard at him that it lead him to believe they must have something in their eye.

Oh yes, they would be some catch. Lucky him.

Amber was _entirely_ different. She wasn't like those other girls who wanted him just because he was royalty, or rich, or well-known, or handsome.

No, she didn't seem to give a toss about that. In fact, she teased him about most of the above on a regular basis. And she was exactly what he wanted, what he _needed_. He wanted someone different from the rest, someone who was _real_, who wouldn't change for him, and wouldn't want _him_ to change for_ them_. He wanted someone who would take him exactly the way he was, someone he could laugh with, fight with, and someone he could love with _all _his heart.

He wanted Amber.

"I think," he replied to Aetak, smiling slightly to himself as he thought of Amber. "I'm willing to take that chance."

An unreadable expression crossed Aetak's face as her eyes widened, something close to...respect, and sorrow.

"But...you're only nineteen." She protested weakly, her voice lacking certainty.

Edmund shrugged in confusion, frowning lightly toward Aetak. "I don't see how it makes a difference." He said, his voice sounding slightly irritated, what with the repeated mentioning of his age.

Aetak looked at him beseechingly, running out of excuses. "I...well...what about when we leave?" she said quickly.

Edmund looked at Aetak sharply, his eyes widening in suprise, before narrowing to a worried frown. "What? You're _leaving_? When?" he exclaimed, sounding suprised and horrified.

A look of satisfaction passed over Aetak's face, obviously feeling slightly relieved to finally get an appropriate response from Edmund. "Well, we haven't set a date exactly, but we can't stay here forever." She said indifferently.

Edmund rose to his feet, shaking his head in protest. "No, really, you can stay as _long_ as you like! You're_ more_ than welcome! We don't-"

"We'll be leaving soon." Aetak cut across him sharply, finality ringing in her voice. "It's for the best."

A panicked look flashed on Edmund's face. He opened his mouth to protest, but Aetak cut across him yet again.

"You and Amber could never be together anyway." She said quietly, looking incredibly sorry.

Edmund froze at this, staring at Aetak in confusion, clearly taken aback. Appearing to be stunned, he didn't even notice when the door of the infirmary opened behind him.

"You're highness?"

Shaken from his thoughts, Edmund slowly turned to face the doctor standing in the open doorway

"The immediate treatment has been successfully completed." The doctor informed him quietly, his voice low. "She had to get numerous stitches in her head, her hands, and her leg..."he leafed through a few sheets in his hands. "She's awake now, but just one visitor at a time, please, for her sake. She's still quite weak, from loss of blood, and also just pure exhaustion from a _very_ long two days." He finished, glancing at both Edmund and Aetak.

Clearing his head, Edmund nodded briefly at the doctor and shot Aetak a cold glare, before cutting before her, stepping around the doctor, and entering the infirmary. He vaguely heard Aetak's growl of protest before he firmly shut the door behind them, blocking them out.

Edmund squinted. It was incredibly bright in here, what with bland white paint everywhere, and bright sun pouring through the window. Edmund sniffed the air hesitantly, catching a whiff of something. It smelled like...bleach. He wrinkled his nose in distaste.

"Ed?" called a faint voice from across the room.

Edmund felt a sudden wave of relief wash through him as he saw her pale, scarred face across the room. Her head was poking out from beneath the covers of a bed to the far side of the room, beside one of the windows. He cracked a smile for the first time in two days, crossing the room quickly, sliding into the seat positioned beside the bed, leaning forward toward her.

"Hi." He said tentatively, smiling uncertainly at her. "How are you?" he asked softly.

Amber smiled weakly, like it required a lot of effort. "I'm fine." She whispered back.

Edmund snorted. She didn't _look_ fine. She was even paler than usual, which was saying something, as Amber was _always_ so _incredibly _pale anyway. There were dark circles beneath her tired, exhausted eyes. Horrific scars still marred her beautiful, thin face. She looked drained, as if the life had been sucked out of her.

Amber moved her head slightly, looking toward the window, squinting at the sun pouring in. "What time is it?" she asked slowly.

"Around midday by now, I think." Edmund replied quietly. "We got back here early yesterday morning, and the doctors have been working on you since. He finished around six hours ago, and you've been sleeping since then, being monitored all the time." His soft expression disappeared suddenly, his eyes narrowing accusingly as he scowled angrily at her. "You know you nearly_ died_?" he scolded.

Amber made a poor attempt at a smirk, her effort halted by the scar stretching across her face. "_Nearly_." She pointed out. "But I didn't." Her mouth tried to smile again.

Edmund sighed resignedly. "I can't leave you alone for _two_ seconds." He complained reproachfully.

Amber smiled thinly, looking apologetic. "Sorry, I guess." She offered.

Edmund's eyebrows shot up, his eyes widening as he looked incredulously at her, shaking his head in disbelief. "How is all of this _you_r fault?" he exclaimed.

Amber's meagre attempt at a smile disappeared; quickly replaced with a disapproving frown, her forehead creasing. "I should have known." She said, irritated.

Edmund frowned in confusion, puzzled. "What?"

"That you would turn it all back on _you_!" Amber exclaimed. "I should have known you would blame yourself! You _always_ do!"

Edmund smiled wearily, waving off her reprimanding, not even trying to argue with her. "But I have to take _some_ level of responsibility, when it comes to _you_. I have to take special care of you." He laughed softly, reaching out and taking her small, frail hand in his.

A slight tinge of red tinted Amber's pale cheeks. "Why is that?" she tried another smile, her irritation vanished.

Edmund mock frowned at her, looking disapproving. "Because you always manage to get into the _most_ trouble." He chuckled, shaking his head reprovingly. He rubbed his thumb gently over the palm of her hand, mindful of her stitches.

Amber smiled mischievously up at him, wincing in pain slightly as she did so. "Well." She sighed sadly, her tired eyes laughing. "I suppose I_ better_ stick with you then."

Edmund didn't reply. A thoughtful look took over his features as he held her hand softly in his, frowning worriedly.

Amber frowned too at his sudden change, squeezing his hand lightly. "Ed?" she said worriedly. "Edmund? Is it what I said?" he didn't say anything. "Look, I was only _messing_." She said reassuringly.

Edmund still didn't say anything, looking at her contemplatively, his eyes still worried. Amber sighed exasperatedly.

"Oh for crying out loud, Ed, take a _joke_." She scolded. "Is this _really_ about what I said? You're taking things _far_ too seriously, Ed. Of _course_ I want to stay with you. What makes you think I wouldn't?" she looked pretty irritated.

"But," He said suddenly, frowning. "What about when you leave?"

Amber's expression froze. Her smile faded as she frowned up at Edmund, clearly confused. "What?"

Edmund's brow furrowed. "What happens when you leave?" he repeated.

Amber didn't say anything for a minute, looking up at Edmund silently with an unreadable expression on her face. "Do...do you want me to leave?" she asked quietly, unsurely.

Edmund couldn't help but smile tiredly as he rolled his eyes exasperatedly at her. "What kind of a question is _that_?" he chuckled sadly.

Amber's brown eyes looked uncertainly at him, flickering across his face worriedly. "Is that a...yes? A no?"

Edmund shook his head, exasperated. "No, you _silly _little girl. The _last_ thing I want you to do is leave." Here, Edmund frowned again. "But, if you want to, I'm not going to stop you. I would never do that to you." He said sincerely, his eyes sad.

Amber shook her head instantly. "I don't want to." She said firmly.

Edmund raised an eyebrow. "What?" he asked. He smiled wickedly at her, his eyes playful. "You don't want to _what_?"

Amber sighed irritably, glaring at him, smiling at the same time. "_Leave_. I don't want to _leave_, you _idiot_."

Edmund stiffened at this, dropping her hand, much to Amber's disappointment. Sitting back in his chair, he folded his arms angrily, glaring at her with narrowed, accusing eyes.

Amber eyed him warily, uncertainly, confused by his sudden mood swing. "Ed?" she said tentatively, hesitantly.

Edmund let out a huge, exaggerated sigh. "I thought," he complained, looking incredibly offended. "We were over this whole '_idiot_' thing." He looked extremely put out.

It took a moment for Amber to realise what he was talking about, and when she did, she had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing. Seeing this, Edmund cracked a smile too, shaking his head sadly.

Amber held back your laugh. "You're the _best_ idiot in the whole wide world, though." She offered reassuringly, taking his hand in hers again.

Edmund laughed softly. "I'm failing to see how exactly that is a _compliment_, but I suppose I might as well take it. It's not often I get a compliment from _you_, of all people." He complained.

Amber let out a laugh too, but stopped abruptly when her jaw protested in pain, sending shoots of agony through her. Wincing, she gingerly raised her free hand to gently probe her aching jaw, wincing again at the tenderness she felt.

Immediatly, Edmund ceased all laughing, his own hand flying down to her face as his own face pulled into a concerned, worried frown.

"What is it?" he said worriedly, urgently, gently caressing her face. "What hurts?"

Amber shook her slowly as the pain gradually subsided. She stayed perfectly still for a minute, waiting for the pain to disappear fully. As it did so, she sighed in relief, smiling reassuring up at Edmund. Meeting Edmund's worried eyes; she smiled gently, intertwining her hands with him. Despite her weakness, she pulled him gently towards her. His frown disappeared instantly as he rose slightly from his seat, leaning toward Amber with a soft smile, tilting his head slightly.

"Wait." He whispered suddenly, his lips inches from hers.

Amber sighed. "This had _better_ be good." She complained.

Edmund shook his head, smiling. "You're injured. And you're in recovery. I don't think this would-"

Amber sighed in exasperation. "Oh, shut up." She murmured, pulling him toward her again.

Edmund gave in, knowing he'd probably lose the argument anyway. Anyway, it wasn't like he didn't want this as much as she did. Like hell he did.

Their lips met slowly, carefully, Edmund being mindful of her injuries. Inwardly rolling her eyes, Amber released his hands from hers and placed her hands on his chest, bringing them up slowly to wrap around his neck and pull him closer. Half sitting on her bed, Edmund moved closer to Amber, planting his hands on the headboard either side of her head, effectively trapping her. Ever careful of her injuries, he kissed her slowly, passionately, with Amber giving as good as she got, tangling her hands within his messy, unruly hair.

A sudden, urgent knock at the door sounded. Edmund leaped swiftly back into his seat with a muttered swear, attempting to calm his ragged breathing and tidy his ruffled hair, courtesy of Amber, who was trying to cool her flushed cheeks and bite down on her swollen lips.

"Enter." Called Edmund, attempting a normal-sounding voice, but instead, it came out hoarse, ragged.

The door opened quickly and a terrified looking servant rounded the door. Wasting no time in formalities or greetings, he looked urgently at Edmund.

"Your majesty." He said quickly. "You're not going to believe this, but..." the servant took a deep breath, as if he couldn't believe what he was saying. "The White Witch is outside, in the courtyard, and she requests to speak with you."

**(Evil laugh-I would type it out, but I'm not going to attempt to spell it :L)**

**I think that's a sort of cliffy? Yes? No? Maybe?**

**Tell me in your review? :L**


	26. Chapter 26

**Well.**

**I am not a happy bunny. **

**You know why?**

**The new Harry Potter movie has been out for a whole TWO days (GASP?)-**

**-and I'm still waiting to see it.**

** Damn all you people who were smart enough to book in advance.**

** Enough said.**

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

_No._

Amber felt herself go cold as the new sank in.

Her mother. Was here. In Narnia. In Cair Paravel.

Right outside.

_No._

It could only mean one thing.

She had failed, failed in the task her mother had set her. She hadn't been able to kill Edmund as had been requested, and somehow, her mother knew that. No, of _course_ she knew. She knew _everything_. Nothing escaped her, ever. And so now she had come to get Amber, to take her back, take her back to her doom.

To take her back to whatever punishment she had planned for her.

_No._

A million and one thoughts whirled and wheeled chaotically around Amber's head, as she tried desperately to process everything.

_What do I do, what do I do, what do I do..._

If Amber were to have a list of the things that frightened her most in life, her mother would be right up there at the top, without a single doubt. She didn't have to think twice about that. Losing Edmund, or something fickle, yet still _hugely_ important, would be an _extremely_ close second.

_What to do, what to do, what to do..._

She didn't want to lose Edmund. But she didn't want to lose any vital body parts either, which might be the case when it came to her mother...

_Was there still time?_

If ever Amber looked back upon this decision with any feelings of regret, she could mostly likely blame it on her being out of her head with drugs, or whatever. But at the time, right here, right now, she knew that she was just being an absolute chicken shit. She hadn't got the courage to stand up to her mother and tell her how she truly felt about Edmund. It would be far easier to just take the easy, horrible way out.

Shaking herself from her reverie, Amber turned her head slowly to look at Edmund. His face had frozen into a pale expression of absolute horror and terrified disbelief. He was gaping at the messenger with such clear, staggered shock, that you'd swear the servant had just told him that Aslan was out on the balcony, blowing up condoms and had just invited Edmund to join him.

Edmund's eyes slowly narrowed to slits, and Amber could see his jaw clench, a sure sign he was _beyond_ furious. He stood slowly, his muscles tensing as he rose. He faced the servant with the deadliest, most sinister look Amber had _ever _seen from Edmund. If looks could kill, the messenger would have been dead _long_ ago.

Edmund's lip curled back. "If you think this is funny," he hissed menacingly, his tone venomous. ", I will personally gouge your eyes from their sockets, and shove them up your-"

"Your majesty." The servant cut across him quickly, his eyes widening with what could only be fear. "Sure as I stand right here before you right now, The White With is down in the main courtyard, demanding to see you."

Amber watched silently, her heart aching as Edmund's furious expression slowly faded, his face taking on an expression of pure, undiluted horror. Had it not been so serious, Amber would have laughed.

"It...It can't be..." Edmund whispered slowly, his eyes suddenly fixed to the floor, unfocused, distant.

The messenger remained silent, standing before Edmund nervously, expectantly.

"Okay..."Edmund managed after a minute's silence, his gaze still fixed to the floor. "I'll...I'll be down in...A minute."

The servant nodded quickly, leaving the room swiftly and shutting the door firmly behind him. Edmund was left standing perfectly still, like a statue, staring at the spot where the messenger had stood, with an unreadable expression on his pale face.

Amber only partly noticed him, too caught up in her own thoughts, internally struggling with herself.

_She'll kill me if I don't do this._

But she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she did.

_Godamn it, why does it matter? I used to do this the whole time, no bother, easy peasy lemon squeezie._

That was before Edmund though. Edmund was different.

Oh godamn him. It was his entire fault anyway, for kissing her in the first place.

That thought just made her want to kiss him again...

_I don't care about him. I don't care about him. I don't care about him. I don't care about him. I don't care about him. I don't care about him._

Yeah, she couldn't quite convince herself either.

_It doesn't matter. Mother is outside and the most likely outcome is that the entire game's going to be given away, and he's going to find out exactly who I am. How could ever care for me, the daughter of the woman who manipulated him, terrified him, lied to him? Once he finds out who I am, and what I came here for, he's going to hate me anyway. I won't be welcome here, ever. And once I leave, when I am ever going to see him again? Probably never, so why does it matter anyway?_

Terrifying, vivid memories flooded through her mind, reminding her exactly why it mattered.

***Amber POV**

_A skinny, gangly, eleven year old Amber trudged along the dim corridor behind her mother, jogging every few seconds in an effort to keep up with her mother's mammoth steps._

"_Where are we going, mother?" she eventually asked, curiously, inwardly wary._

"_Hold your tongue." Her mother replied instantly, her voice cold._

_Instantly Amber's mouth clamped itself shut, and she silently followed her mother through the winding corridors, down stairs, and through more hallways, and then more hallways._

_Eventually, they came to the dungeons to the north wing of the castle. A cold chill, and a rank, vile smell met Amber. Shivering, she wrapped her arms around herself, wrinkling her nose in distaste._

_Her mother strode through the dungeons, until she came to a stop outside of a particular cell. It was no different from the others, with its faded, dusty wooden door, and a square slit at the top that you could look through. Amber was still too small to reach._

_Standing in front of the door, Jadis turned her head to look at Amber. Her face was empty as usually, portraying boredom, indifference._

"_Do you remember our hunting trip just last week, in the castle woods?" her mother said coldly._

_Amber nodded unsurely, wondering what it could be that her mother was getting at._

"_Do remember when we saw the deer, near the eastern perimeter?"_

_Amber nodded again, thinking back briefly. She had never seen a deer before, ever, in her life. But just last week, passing through the woods with her mother and a few men, she had caught sight of the most beautiful white deer standing in the snow, quietly lapping water from the lake's edges, with its baby deer hovering by its side. It had been such a beautiful, breathtaking scene..._

"_And so, do you remember when you were ordered to kill it?" her mother questioned icily. _

_Amber grimaced. Having stopped to admire the animal, her mother had suddenly demanded that Amber kill the deer with her bow and arrow. Like it was 'target practice' or something. _

_Amber managed the smallest, tiniest nod in response._

_Jadis cocked her head to the side, looking at Amber with hard eyes._

"_Did you kill the deer, Amber?" she questioned innocently._

_Amber bit her lip nervously. She hated the way her mother did this. _

_Jadis's mouth turned down into a grimace. "Well, did you, Amber?" she demanded, her voice rising._

_Amber dropped her eyes to the floor. "No, mother." She said resignedly._

_Jadis glared angrily at Amber, making a sound of disgust. She glanced pointedly toward the dungeon there were still standing beside._

_Amber's stomach clenched in fear, worry gripping her gut. What had her mother planned for her this time?_

_Yanking open the door, Jadis grabbed Amber by the arm, and shoved her in through the door, closing it shut behind her, turning a lock._

_But Amber didn't even notice any of this, as she froze at the sight before her._

_There, right in in front of her, hanging by its leg's from the musty ceiling, with dark, red blood staining its beautiful white furry coat was the deer._

_The deer that she had seen in the forest, and refused to kill, because it was the most beautiful animal she'd ever seen._

"_You can stay here for the night. Think about what you did or rather, what you didn't do" her mother snapped through the slit in n the door._

_Flashback_

"_Amber?"_

_Fourteen year old Amber could feel a lump rising in her throat and her jaw tensed as she struggled to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill._

"_Amber."_

_Inwardly cursing her mother to the deepest, darkest pits of hell, she slowly raised her head to face her mother, her eyes filled with hatred._

"_Are you listening to me?" her mother asked, her tone verging on threatening. _

_Amber clenched her jaw, restraining her anger. Was her mother actually being serious? All this, just because she had told her mother she couldn't manage the two hours extra training in the evenings?_

"_Are you going to defy me again?" her mother said quietly, in a low, dangerous voice, filled with anger._

_Amber dropped her head again. Why couldn't her mother just bloody well understand? She physically wasn't able to fit in another two hours training in her days. She was wrecked enough as it was. Why couldn't she just understand that?_

"_I said are you going to defy me again!" her mother yelled furiously, her eyes black._

_Amber raised her head and glared at her mother. "No, mother." She spat icily, venom creeping into her voice._

_Her mother held her gaze for a minute, before she snorted derisively. She motioned toward the dungeon on the left side of the corridor - a single square cell, with bare ice walls surrounding it. Amber felt herself shrivel inside, dread filling her._

"_You can stay there until you learn to do what you're told." Her mother snapped angrily, abruptly grabbing her arm and shoving her in through the dungeon door roughly. Locking the door, Jadis strode down the hallway away from Amber, who stood there in silence, knowing better than to protest._

"_And," her mother called back down the hall to her. "When I let you out, you're training for two hours every day. No arguing."_

_It was around then the waterworks began._

_Flashback_

"_You missed a target." Her mother stated evenly, looking at her with an unreadable expression on her face._

_Sixteen year old Amber sat opposite her, unsure of what to say in response._

_Her mother leaned back in her seat, resting her arms on the armrests, her hands tense, gripping the sides with an iron hold. "Could you explain to me what went wrong?" she said indifferently, as though she couldn't care less. Amber knew better though._

"_Well...I...I don't know, I just-"_

"_You don't...know?" her mother snapped, a look of extreme irritation taking over her face. The calm facade was quickly disappearing._

_Amber inwardly squirmed. "Well, I...no?"_

_Now her mother looked beyond angry. "So, you missed a target, but you don't know how." She snapped._

_Amber felt a rush of annoyance. "It's just a target." She protested. Wasn't this just a bit of an overreaction? "One target." She repeated._

_Her mother stood abruptly, her face contorted with anger "Do you how much time, money, and effort I put into your training? The best archers, soldiers, and warriors I have hired for your benefit? You have been doing this for almost ten years! And then you have the audacity to miss a target, and then tell me you don't even know how you missed?" she yelled angrily._

_Amber stood too, her eyes flashing angrily. "It was one target! One target! I got every other single one! I almost always get every single one!" she snapped. "But no, you'll never praise me for anything I do right. It's just always what I do wrong!"_

_Next thing Amber knew, she was down on one knee, holding her flaming cheek._

_A loud silence followed._

_Amber felt her anger evaporate, replaced with a quaking fear, as she slowly lifted her head to look at her mother in unhidden shock, still holding the side of her face, where her mother had struck her. _

_Her mother was staring down at her, the shock Amber felt portrayed on her face. She looked horrified, her hand still in the air. _

_Her mother had never laid a hand on her before. Sure, she had locked her in the dungeon, and made her run excessive amounts of laps, and made her write out hundreds and thousands of lines, but she had never once physically harmed her. Ever._

_Abruptly, her mother's hand dropped to her side, awkwardly. Her face was still horrified. Amber didn't move, still staring at her, still in shock._

"_Get out." Her mother whispered suddenly, her voice shaking slightly._

_Amber didn't need to be told twice._

Amber flinched, grimacing at the memories – and they were just a few out of many. She most definetly did not want a repeat.

Out of the corner of her eyes, shaken out of her reverie, Amber saw Edmund walk slowly over to the huge window, which took up most of the west wall of the room. He seemed to be in a trance-like state, standing stiffly, rigidly, his eyebrows pulled together in a frown.

She had to do it.

Pushing down the bile that suddenly rose in her throat, Amber slowly, hesitantly, reached her hand down to her waist. Her hand shaking uncontrollably, she could feel her hidden dagger still underneath her underclothes, where she always kept it. Biting down on her lip forcefully, she slowly closed her fingers slowly around her dagger. Her hands still shaking, she slowly pulled the dagger from its sheath, flinching at the barely-detectable sound of the metal of the blade scraping against the metal of its sheath.

Amber started slightly as Edmund suddenly moved, sighing in frustration and lifting his hands to rub his hands on his temples, his frown deepening. Reluctantly, with mounting uneasiness Amber slid out from under the covers as quietly as she could. She winced in pain as her leg met the floor, clamping her mouth shut to hold in the hiss of pain as agony shot up her leg as she delicately placed her foot on the floor. Silently, and with great difficulty, she dragged herself and her crippled leg across the room to eventually come to a stop a few yards behind Edmund, who remained oblivious the entire time, still staring out the window in pensive silence.

"I can't believe it." Edmund muttered suddenly, running his hands through his messy hair, a sure sign of his stress.

Amber didn't say anything. What could she say? She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath, and then re-opened them. With shaking, clammy hands, she raised the dagger in the air.

Edmund sighed again, resignedly, before turning, with the intention of walking out the door.

Instead he was faced with a torn, desperate looking Amber, dagger in hand, aimed at him.

Upon seeing the shocked, vulnerable look on Edmunds face, a strangled sob escaped Amber, as her already shaky resolve crumbled to pieces. Without even thinking, she flung the dagger toward him with a sob.

Both of them gasped in shock as the dagger shot toward Edmund, his eyes widening. Amber's hands flew to her mouth.

Edmund hastily ducked, hands over his head, and the dagger whistled past him, embedding itself into the wall behind Edmund with a small thud.

A heavy silence ensued.

Edmund straightened slowly, his eyes trained on the dagger stuck in the wall.

And then slowly, he turned to face Amber with shocked, confused and suddenly suspicious eyes.

Amber stood rooted to the spot, unable to take her eyes off him_. _Her eyes were filled shock and horror, and warm tears.

Suddenly a choked sob escaped Amber, and she buried her head in her hands, not even bothering to hide the desperate, strangled sobs that racked her body.

Edmund was now beyond confused. His bewildered eyes flickered warily from a distraught Amber on one side of the room to the dagger rooted in the wall on the other side.

"Amber?" he said cautiously, his voice questioning.

Amber didn't say anything in reply. It was as if she hadn't heard anything, lost in her own world.

"Are you...ok?" he pushed carefully, unsurely.

Amber looked up slightly, her eyes catching sight of the dagger in the wall. She shook her head to herself, her eyes wide and shocked, like a deer caught in the headlights.

"She's going to _kill_ me..."she whispered dazedly, to no one in particular.

Edmund's face pulled into a frown. "What?"

Amber's face crumpled into the picture of utter desperation. "But I can't _do _it!" she cried desperately, more tears escaping from her eyes, running down her cheeks.

Edmund looked at her warily, like she was crazy. "Amber, you've had a stressful day." he said unsurely, glancing toward the door. "I think you need some more sleep? Maybe...I should get the doctor...I have to go anyway-" he edged toward the exit.

An expression if horror overcame Amber, shaking her from her reverie. "No!" she exclaimed urgently, lunging forward and grabbing him tightly. "No, you can't go. Please, don't." She pleaded, shaking her head desperately.

Edmund shook free of her grip, backing away slightly, his eyes never leaving her, watching her warily. "I'm getting the doctor." He said decidedly, coming to the conclusion that when she hit her head, she must have hit it _hard._

Needing a way to stop him from leaving, to distract him, to make him stay, Amber did the only thing she could possibly think of, given she only had a split second before he ran for the door.

She kissed him.

She clutched him tightly, like she never wanted to let go, and pressed her lips gently to his, kissing him passionately with everything she had.

Edmund seemed extremely taken aback at first, unresponsive, his lips unyielding. But after a moment, he seemed to melt toward her, his heart winning over his mind, and his hand tentatively rose up to brush her tear-stained cheeks.

But Amber still couldn't hold back the tears welling behind her eyes, as they escaped and ran down her cheeks. She could only think of the whole bitter sweetness of the situation, and how she had already lost.

This was her last goodbye to Edmund, her unworthy, pathetic apology.

Edmund was the one who pulled away first, looking into her eyes deeply, his confusion clear.

She shook her head silently, unable to stop the tears that just kept on leaking from her eyes.

"Don't go." She whispered into his shirt, in a pleading voice, in one last desperate attempt to make him stay, crossing her fingers inwardly.

Edmund sighed in frustration. "Amber, what are you on about?"

Amber looked up at him distraughtly. "_Her_! Don't go down to _her_!"

Edmund pushed her away gently, holding her at arm's length. "Look, Amber, I have to go. I'm going to get the doctor-"

"Couldn't Peter go down? Or Caspian?"

Edmund sighed irritably. "Amber, I'm not exactly looking forward to going down and having a chat with a woman who is supposed to be dead. Not to mention, she wants _me _dead." He looked extremely stressed out. "But it's my duty. I _have_ to go."

"But-"

"Oh give it a rest, Amber." Edmund snapped, frustrated. "Get back into bed or something. All this excitement can't be good for you. I'll call for the doctor on my way out." He turned and strode toward the door, leaving her standing there, at a loss as to what to do. Was there anything she could do? _Anything_?

"But...but Ed..."

Edmund sighed yet again, running his hands through his hair and turning to face her again, beyond exasperated. "What is it now?" he questioned wearily.

Amber bit her lip, fidgeting nervously, wringing her hands, silently.

Edmund looked at her expectantly.

"I...well..."

Edmund didn't move, or say anything, still waiting impatiently.

"I think...I..."

Finally Edmund lost it. "Amber! Just bloody spit it out already!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air.

"IthinkIloveyou." She said hurriedly, her words tripping over themselves in her haste.

Edmund frowned in confusion. "Wait, what did you say? Speak normally. C'mon, Amber, I don't have all day." he sighed.

Amber swallowed, and sucked in a deep breath.

"Ed, I...Iov-"

The door to the infirmary slammed open and Peter burst in alongside Caspian, looking incensed. When he caught sight of Edmund standing there, he all but growled.

"Edmund Pevensie, what in the damn name of Aslan is taking you so godamn long?" he snapped angrily. "You do realise exactly who is waiting for us, you bloody idiot?"

Edmund shot his brother a death glare. He nodded tightly toward Amber, before marching out of the infirmary, followed by Peter, who hadn't even noticed Amber in his enraged haste. Caspian followed last, turning to face Amber, his hand on the door handle.

"Amber? Are you alright?" he asked worriedly, looking over with concern.

She nodded mutely.

Caspian frowned sceptically. "You sure? You want me to get the doctor or something?"

Amber shook her head dumbly.

Caspian bit his lip, glancing toward the window, where a growing crowd was gathering in the courtyard below.

"Something's about to happen." He said suddenly, his voice tense, worried. "Something bad."

Amber looked at him blankly.

"I can feel it." He said urgently. "Aslan's worried too, I can sense it. And that woman, the White Witch? I've never seen her before, ever, in my whole life. But when I saw her through the window earlier, I _recognised_ her." He shook his head. "I think I remember her vaguely from a dream, or something. But it was a bad dream." His frown deepened "Something is terribly wrong about all this." He said worriedly.

Amber couldn't help but snort and nod her head in resigned agreement. _Got that right..._

Caspian's eyes flickered back to her. He stared at her for a long moment, before his eyes narrowed.

"You look like just like her!" he whispered suddenly, his voice suspicious.

Amber fixed a glare at him. "It took you all _this _long." She muttered under her breath.

A furious roar sounded from somewhere, calling gave her one last suspicious glance, before dissapearing out the door, pulling it shut behind him.

Amber remained rooted to the spot, listening to the sound of his hurried steps disappearing down the hall, fading slowly into a deafening silence.

A minute later, Amber was still standing there, motionless, when Aetak appeared at the door, her face pulled into a frown.

"We have to go." She said urgently.

**All of you lucky people who HAVE gone to see the new Harry Potter, PLEASE don't rub it in :(**

** BUT DO TELL ME WHAT IT WAS LIKE!**

** hopefully, the hype will die down soon, and i'll be able to go see it. But for now, I'll have to amuse myself by reading your wonderful reviews!**

** On the subject of reviews, I have to mention one reviewer - Noel Ardneck. I think it was a review left on the last chapter, or maybe even the one before that! But anyway, the point is, it was a trailer they had made for the next chapter, which I thought was brilliant, and so funny that it deserved a shoutout. And, maybe, another one wouldn't do any harm? Hehehehe...;)**

** Reviews?**


	27. Chapter 27

**My friends, the fact that I updated in less than four days of the last update deserves a round of bloody applause. You better be happy.**

** And, you will be happy to know that I saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two today. I was very nearly crying! Oh god...I don't know what was the worst, but I think I have to go with Fred Weasley dying. Jesus man, J.K Rowling just had to take it too far. Dobby was bad, Dumbledore was acceptable...but Fred was just inexcusable. INEXCUSABLE.**

** But your reviews cheered me up to no end - and most ordered me to go see Harry Potter asap! Saskia, (ThisLooksLikeAJobForMe) your review made me laugh out loud! I'm glad you sorted out that friend of yours. Damn straight. What they said...I can't even repeat it.**

**CrazyDyslexicNerd - I agree. Neville was brilliant. And, he fought Voldemort in a CARDIGAN. LEGEND!**

** And Little Dark Dynamite - I am also officially depressed that its all over. Join the club. :(**

** And on we go.**

** OH! **

** Big (ish?) secret revealed in this chapter :L thought you might like to know...hehehehe :D**

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

**Jadis POV**

Chaos. Utter chaos.

Jadis stood tall amidst it all, taking no end of enjoyment of the chaos erupting around her, and taking even more enjoyment out of the fact that she was the ultimate cause of the uproar.

She was standing in the main courtyard, flanked by her guards. A growing crowd was forming a tight circle around them, filled with wide-eyed people, and their hushed, shocked whisperers of '_Who_ is it? It _can't_ be! But...she's _dead_! _Isn't_ she...?'

Jadis face was cold and menacing, a look of disdain in her eyes as she looked around, mainly directing it toward Queen Susan. It was nothing personal, but the expression she was getting in response was priceless. At the moment, Susan stood about a hundred yards away from her, keeping a safe distance while she silently seethed. Her face was pulled into a hard, tight mask, but the frustration, anger and confusion was breaking through as she glared daggers at Jadis, her eyes narrowing to angry slits.

To her left, standing slightly behind her, was Queen Lucy. She peered around Susan, gaping at Jadis open-mouthed, with an expression of astonishment and even a hint of wonder written all over her face. And of course, fear.

Really. Where was all their Narnian 'honour' and 'pride'? Honestly, they had nothing to worry about. She wasn't here to cause trouble. She just wanted Amber.

Jadis hadn't been able to find another way about it. Having only had just over twenty-four hours to think of how to get Amber back home safely, she couldn't come up with anything else, except going to Cair Paravel herself and fetching her. Every other option was prevented or hindered by the damn Green Lady, who seemed to have Jadis snared at every turn. None of Jadis's spies were getting through to Cair Paravel, so how was she supposed get word to either Aetak or Amber? And in turn, how could they get through to her? Any form of private communication seemed to be blocked, proving to be a big problem.

Another problem was the Narnian's themselves. After spending such a long time here, the Narnian's, and especially that damn Edmund, probably thought they had some sort of a claim on Amber, like she was one of their own. Jadis had to severe those ties, for Amber's own good. And that would require direct contact.

Jadis pushed her thoughts to the back of her mind upon catching sight of three figures appearing through the castle doors, making their way down the steps toward the crowd.

King Peter led the party of three, brave as ever. His head was held defiantly high, and his jaw set stubbornly. His eyes flashed fiercely, glaring daggers at her, not unlike his sister was. She snorted at the ridiculous overreaction she was receiving from the Narnian's. What exactly were they expecting? God only knows. Really. Such fools.

Taking a closer look at him, Jadis could see that Peter had certainly changed in her years of absence. He was a good foot taller, more broadly built and his blonde hair flicking outwards just above his ear. He looked altogether older, and wiser.

She still wanted to rip that pretty blonde hair off his head though.

Catching sight of Caspian following close behind Peter, Jadis struggled to keep her face indifferent. He stood out noticeably from the others, his skin a shade darker than the others, his dark hair swinging just above his chin, framing his sharply shaped face. Jadis resolutely ignored him, refusing to look at him, and instead focused on the last figure trailing reluctantly down the steps.

Last but _certainly _not least, King Edmund reached the end of the steps, and grudgingly began making his way across the courtyard toward the gathering. A serious expression covered his face, along with his mouth set in a tight, grim line, turned down slightly at the corners. His brow was furrowed into a fearsome frown, his dark eyes both wary and furious at the same time as he strode toward her, coming to a stop beside his two sisters.

Caspian came to a stop alongside Queen Susan, glancing at her briefly and wrapping a reassuring arm around her waist, before facing Jadis stonily. Peter stood in front of Lucy protectively, arms folded. He nodded slightly at Edmund, who, after shooting Peter possibly the dirtiest look Jadis had ever seen, took a few more half-hearted steps forward. He came to a stop a couple of yards from Jadis, standing before his family.

Arms folded, he glared at her with angry and slightly confused eyes, probably trying to figure out how the hell she was even alive. He showed no intention of saying anything, and Jadis sighed inwardly.

"Well. You took your time, Edmund." Her voice sounded vaguely irritated.

Edmund's frown changed to a scowl, his eyes narrowing. "_King _Edmund." He corrected with strained politeness.

Jadis's mouth twisted up slightly at the corner to form a cold, wry smirk. "My apologies...long time, no see, _King_ Edmund.' Her tone radiated detached amusement, and her guards laughed, knowing it would please her.

Edmund's face twisted into a sinister glare. "Indeed." He said tightly.

"So." She continued casually, as though they were simply having a chat about the weather. "How have been, _King_ Edmund?" she said mockingly, enjoying how his face twisted with fury.

"What is your buisness here? Edmund snapped angrily, ignoring her question, dropping all pretences of politeness.

Jadis also dropped the cold smirk, her face turning even colder, her expression serious and menacing, as she looked Edmund straight in the eye. "I'm here on official buisness. No violence, that is, unless you are the instigator." She said icily, her tone warning. "I'm here for something I want. And I _won't _leave until I get it." She snapped.

A flicker of suprise showed on Edmund's face, before he masked it again, his eyes turning wary.

"What do you want?" he said suspiciously.

**Amber POV**

Amber dashed around her room, ignoring the growing protest from her bandy leg. She grabbed any of her essential belongings she could find strewn around the room that she had become so familiar with, stuffing them heedlessly into a bag.

"Hurry." Aetak muttered yet again, from behind her.

Amber ground her teeth in anger as she gave up trying to find any more of her belongings. She fumbled with her bag, struggling to secure a knot on the bag with shaky fingers. "I _am_." She snapped in return.

Aetak sighed in frustration, pulling Amber's packed bags to the door with her teeth. Looking back, she growled impatiently as she saw Amber still attempting to tie the same knot.

"Give it _here_. I'll do it." She barked irritably, padding hastily across the room and snatching the bag from Amber with her teeth. "Just go and grab your armour. Amber, we have to _go_."

Shooting the dirtiest look she could muster at Aetak, Amber quickly crossed the room to her bed. Dropping to the floor, she thrust her hand in under the bed. She caught the flimsy floorboard, lifting it to reveal her spare dagger that she had hidden there, as a precaution. Not bothering to ask if she was ready, Aetak scooped up two of Amber's three bags in her teeth, hurriedly making her way to the balcony door.

Amber paused beside her bedroom door. "Where are you going?" she frowned in confusion.

Aetak turned, looking beyond irritated at this stage. "We have to leave this way. We can't be seen."

Amber wrinkled her nose in confusion, grabbing the last bag and limped after Aetak out the door onto her balcony. Aetak leaped nimbly onto the banister, surveying what lay below.

Amber crossed to the banister, looking over the edge. All she could see was a mass of slanted roofs, all piled atop each other, and then the ground far, far below them.

"You can't be serious, Aetak." She exclaimed, realisation sinking in. "We're a massive _four _storeys up. I'm sure we could just take-"

"Do you think I would do this if I had any other viable option?" Aetak snapped. "Your mother doesn't do things by halves Amber. After this _incident_, it is now clearer than ever that the Green Lady wants you specifically, and wants you _now_. Your mother wants you home safe and sound by _any _means." She looked down momentarily, measuring the drop from Amber's balcony to the ledge of the roof just below As far as Amber knew, it was the roof of the library, which was on the third floor, just below Amber.

"The Green Lady has cut off all contact between us and the Northlands. Your mother had no other option but to come here herself to get you." She glanced at Amber. "If your mother just arrived here and demanded she have you, do you think the Pevensies would agree, without a fight?"

Amber pulled herself up onto the banister alongside Aetak, balancing herself whilst shaking her head.

"Exactly. They don't know the truth. They don't who you are to her. Why would she want you, of all people? And of course, she's supposed to be dead." Aetak waved a paw in the air. "Careful. We're going to jump here."

Amber clutched her bag, waiting for Aetak to continue.

"So, in order to get you back safely, without the added hassle of ambushes, invasions, spies on the Narnian's behalf, she just has to tell the Pevensies the truth. Now, jump."

Aetak dropped herself off the ledge lightly, Amber following suit, floating through the air for a mere two seconds before landing unsteadily on the roof below with a thud. Not pausing, Aetak continued on, running down the narrow ledges on the edges of the slanting roofs, jumping here and there occasionally, gradually making their way down. Amber followed in her steps, struggling to keep her balance and make sense of what Aetak was saying.

"What do you mean 'the truth'?" she called to Aetak.

Aetak didn't pause, or look back. "The truth. Why you're here, who you are...Do you think the Pevensies will want the daughter of the White Witch staying in their residence?" she pointed out.

Realisation sank in, along with a terrible, sinking feeling. "But if she tells them who I am-"

Finally Aetak paused, turning to look at her gravely. "Yes. Everyone in Narnia is going to know that you are the daughter of the White Witch, and you were residing in Cair Paravel, acting as spy for the Northlands. And you will have very nearly gotten away with it too, if you bloody well hurry up" She turned to continue walking briskly. "And who knows. Your mother could throw in the fact that you were obliged to kill King Edmund in the duration of your stay. You know how she is. In a matter of minutes, Amber, you are going to be the most wanted person in Narnia, dead or alive. That's why we have to get out of here as quickly as possible, and can't be seen along the way."

They resumed their decrease in a pensive silence. Aetak focused on getting the hell out of there safely, Amber's head swimming with guilt and panic.

Edmund would know. He would know everything.

He was going to hate her.

And her mother would know by now that she hadn't carried out her task.

She was going to _kill _her.

After another five minutes or so they reached the roof of the kitchens on the first floor, and jumped nimbly off the edge, landing with a small thud. Amber's leg was killing her, pain constantly shooting up her leg in protest at every movement. Not pausing, Aetak turned right and immediately headed for the main courtyard, where Jadis supposedly was.

"Aetak." Amber said suddenly, in a serious tone, slightly out of breath.

Aetak paused and glanced back. "What is it?" she said impatiently

Amber's face turned pleading. "You're not telling me everything."

Aetak's expression became torn. "Amber, I...I can't."

Amber's pleading expression vanished as it was replaced with a flush of anger, her mouth tightening and her eyes narrowing in fury. Aetak seemed to see it too, as she quickly took a step back to Amber and looked at her beseechingly.

"Amber, you have to understand, it's not my secret to tell." She said hurriedly. "If you really want to know, you'll have to ask your mother."

Shooting an apologetic look at her, she turned and continued walking.

**Edmund POV**

Vaguely, Edmund could feel himself shaking, with fear or anger, he wasn't quite sure. All he was properly aware of was the White Witch, standing just a hundred yards away from him.

How?

How the hell was it even possible for her to be standing here? She was _dead_! How was it possible that she could be alive? Aslan had killed her, damn it, hadn't he? Edmund had been there, and he had seen it with his own eyes!

So how on earth was she standing here before him? Who the hell did she think she was? _Jesus_?

"I want something back, something that belongs to me." Jadis announced coldly.

Indignant whispers flew through the crowd. '_What do we have that belongs to her?' 'Is she accusing us of stealing something?'_

'_Is she back for King Edmund again?'_

That one caused Edmund to shudder silently. _Ridiculous_, he quickly told himself. _That was years ago. Years ago_.

Edmund anxiously snorted at the ridiculousness of it all, shaking his head disbelievingly. "What do we have belonging to _you_?" he scoffed.

Jadis's face hadn't changed in the slightest, remaining deadly serious. Her icy blue eyes bore into his own, causing him to shiver slightly at the intensity of her glare.

"You have my daughter."

A full minute's silence followed, as her words sank in to the surrounding audience.

_The White Witch? _

_Has...a daughter?_

_And she's...here?_

The crowd was slow to respond, too baffled to make sense of it all. But slowly, the hesitant, unsure whispers floated around.

'_Never knew she had a daughter...'_

'_Is she taking the piss?'_

'_She has to be having a laugh...can't be serious...'_

'..._mother used to tell me old stories...she had kids...went missing...'_

'_She really has a daughter..?.'_

'_...and if that's the truth...'_

'_And she really has a daughter...' _

'_...why is she here?'_

'Why is she here?'

And suddenly the crowd was in uproar, jostling madly, shouting crazily, and shrieking profanities at Jadis, who didn't take her eyes off Edmund's the whole time. And Edmund couldn't take his eyes off her.

"A _spy_!"

"She's been _spying_ on us!"

"Attempting assassination, no doubt!"

Edmund momentarily tore his confused gaze from Jadis to look questioningly at Peter, who looked every bit as baffled as Edmund felt. He shook his head in confusion, indicating he couldn't help. Edmund turned back to Jadis warily.

"What are you talking about?" he said cautiously.

Jadis raised an eyebrow contemptuously, as if he should know. ".Quite clearly, you aren't equipped to be running a country, _King_ Edmund." She chided, ignoring the hysterical protests from the crowd. "These peasants of yours appear to have pieced this together much quicker than you have.' Their protests became more violent at the word 'peasants', yet Jadis's guards held them at bay.

'And they aren't quite far from the truth. My daughter acted as a spy, as instructed by me. During her stay here, assassination was also a part of the pan." She glanced over Edmund again, her expression showing disappointment. "But, as we can all see, the assassination part obviously didn't work out, as you are still standing here, alive."

Gasps erupted all over the crowd, and a shocked hush took over, as the realization of how stupidly oblivious they had been sunk in. This _spy_ had been attempting to kill their own king?

"But circumstances change." A hint of a frown. "I want her back home."

Edmund was having a hard time taking all this in, and an even harder time trying to keep his jaw from dropping open.

How the hell had he missed something like this? How could he have been so utterly ignorant of something this _huge, _something this _significant_? For God knows how long, some girl was wandering freely around Cair Paravel, right under their noses, finding out God knows what, and bloody well plotting to kill _him_! How could they have missed this? There have to been some signs, some tiny indications? How on _earth_ could he have not seen something like this?

The shocked crowd had suddenly turned into an angry, raging mob, furiously cursing the White Witch to the high heavens, shouting ferociously amongst each other. Countless people made for Jadis, with the intention of killing her, but were knocked back contemptuously by her bodyguards. No one was thinking straight enough to think of calling out the guard to sort out the situation.

Edmund was livid. He was godamn pissed. He was mad at himself, for not noticing a single bloody thing. But more than anything, he was furious at Jadis. All this time, they had been living happily ever after, thinking she was dead, all was well.

But the whole bloody time, she had been alive and making bloody good use of their ignorance, sending in spies, and plotting to bloody well kill him.

Who _was_ this spy? Who was this godamn girl? Damn it, Edmund had been raised with respect for women, but this one, whoever the hell she was, she was _dead._ He would kill her himself.

His jaw tensing, Edmund waved a hand to the crowd. "Quiet!" he roared angrily. They hushed immediatly, their angry roars faded to a few worried whispers, hundreds of eyes looking at him expectantly.

Edmund turned back to face the Witch. He radiated anger, his mouth set in a tight line, his jaw set, arms straight by his side, hands balled into tight fists.

"Who?" he snarled, through gritted teeth.

The White Witch delicately raised an eyebrow. "You don't know?"

Edmund remained silent, unable at the present time to form a coherent sentence He fixed her with a deadly glare, which she took as confirmation. A cold smirk crossed her face as something caught her eye.

"Speak of the devil." She said meaningfully, and she glanced purposefully to her left.

Edmund frowned in confusion, unsurely following the direction of her gaze to see...

...Amber and Aetak striding out from the side of the castle.

_What is she doing! She shouldn't be here! She should be in bed! And why on earth is she carrying packed bags? What-_

This time, Edmund couldn't stop his jaw from dropping open as he watched, with growing horror as Amber passed him by, her face expressionless. She didn't pause. She kept going.

And eventually came to stand beside Jadis, looking back at him with cold, empty eyes.

Of course. It all made sense now.

But it was just a little too late.

_It was all...Amber._

**Amber POV**

She didn't know who was making her feel the guiltiest.

The maids, the chefs, the butlers, waiters, professors, doctors, nurses, all of whom Amber had come to know and love over the past few months, were looking at her with expressions of disbelief, disappointment, anger and horror.

Lucy, too, looked disappointed, and upset. Caspian looked confused, disbelieving. Susan looked horrified. And Peter looked downright pissed.

And Edmund just looked...sad.

That had to be the worst.

The ultimate look of betrayal on Edmund's shocked, distressed face sent waves of guilt crashing over Amber like tidal waves.

She had never felt this way before, ever, in her whole life. She had never felt _guilty_, not once. She had never shown or felt the slightest remorse, not even in all those damn tournaments, when she would look up triumphantly from the dead body of her opponent, with a victorious smirk.

But then again, she hadn't really known her opponents on a personal level. Would that have made a difference? Now, she thought so. She had known her 'opponent.' She knew Edmund inside out and upside down, and she loved him, damn it. And, she had sadly learned, love made you do crazy, stupid, unbelievable things, things you didn't even know you were capable of yourself. Being in love with Edmund, whether Amber meant to or not, had certainly taught her the utter unpredictability and fragility of love. She had always thought of herself as a strong person, strong enough to not having any emotion, to be immune to 'feelings'. But right now, all Amber wanted to do was drop to her knees before Edmund and beg, _beg _for his forgiveness, and apologise for being such a godamn _coward._

She _was_ a coward. In truth, there was absolutely _nothing_ stopping her from apologising to Edmund. Nothing was preventing her from explaining herself and attempting to fix things. Nothing whatsoever.

The only thing that was stopping her was herself.

That, and fear of her mother, kept Amber rooted to her mother's side, her face an indifferent, emotionless mask.

Edmund's eyes bore into hers, bearing a furious mixture of confusion, hurt, betrayal and anger. He glared at her silently, his jaw clenched, his mouth set in a thin line and his arms straight by his side, hands balled into fists.

"Why?" he spat finally, his tone unreadable, his eyes desperate.

_Explain! Explain everything to him! Make him understand! You can't leave things like this! Do it!_

"Why not?" she replied coldly.

A flicker of hurt flashed across Edmund's face, before it sparked into an expression of rage.

"You...you..." he seemed at loss as to what to say. He raked a hand through his hair, looking deranged. "How could you?" he exploded. "We trusted you! _I_ trusted you!" he looked so angry, so hurt, all at the same time, his face furious, his eyes disbelieving.

_Just forget about mother. He's more important. Say something to fix this, now. It doesn't matter what she does, or what she says. Damn it, do it._

"Yet another one of your many mistakes." Replied Amber icily. She snorted contemptuously, knowing her mother would approve. Her eyes flickered past Edmund briefly, catching sight of the others. Lucy looked shocked, distressed whilst the other three all bore similar expressions of shock, with the hint of fury.

Edmund looked desperate now, his eyes wide, filled with despair. "No. It _can't_ be you." He shook his head wildly. "Please, Amber." He begged.

She couldn't do it. She was just too cowardly.

"Oh get a grip." She snapped, fighting back her own tears. "Look at you. And you call yourself a king?" she broke off, unable to continue, a sob rising in her throat.

That seemed to do it. An expression of unbearable pain flashed across his face momentarily, before he masked it. Swallowed. Ran a hand through his hair. Inhaled deeply. Swallowed again.

Edmund seemed to be fighting an internal battle as he struggled to compose himself. "Well then." He said eventually, quietly. His voice shattered Amber's heart. It was lifeless, empty, resigned. He folded his arms. "I suppose you're done here."

Feeling everyone's eyes on her, especially her mothers, Amber forced another cold smirk. It felt weird, disjointed, twisting her mouth like that. She was out of practice. "Maybe I'll be back soon." Her tone turned mocking. "I have to finish what I started, don't I?"

Almost immediatly, Susan had her bow and arrow assembled and aimed at her, more than ready to implant the arrow in Amber with a fearsome snarl on her face.

"I'll make you pay for this!" she snarled angrily, her eyes narrowed to furious slits.

"_Enough_." a deep voice called out.

A sudden hush settled, all heads turning in suprise toward the sound of the voice. Everyone except Edmund, that was. He simply stood there, motionless, while everyone else began whispering again, frantically, their eyes wide, eyes lit up.

'_Is it really him?'_

'_Unbelievable!'_

'_No worries now, he'll sort this out!'_

'_He'll get rid of her, you'll see!'_

"_Damn him_." She heard her mother mutter angrily, in a tone Amber had never heard before.

A mighty lion appeared from a break in the crowd, towering over everyone. Upon catching sight of him, which wasn't really that hard, seeing as he was so bloody huge, countless gasps of shock and reverence instantly filled the crammed courtyard. Instantly, everyone dropped to their knees, bowing their reverently heads in his direction.

_So this must be Aslan._

Aslan padded slowly through the crowd, radiating power and authority. As he passed by them, the crowd silently rose to their feet, looking at him with hopeful, expectant eyes. Reluctantly, Susan lowered her bow and arrow, her eyes still narrowed at Amber.

Aslan came to a stop in the middle; the Pevensies and Caspian behind him, Jadis and Amber before him. Amber found herself trapped by his gaze, as his deep, brown eyes bored into her own intensely for a moment. He looked at her with an expression Amber couldn't understand, before breaking off to look reproachfully at her mother.

"Now look what you've gone and done." His voice was deep, throaty, and powerful. He tonne was even, but there was a hint of frustration there too.

Jadis's grimace didn't move. "You didn't see that one coming did you _Aslan_?" she snapped coldly, spitting out his name derisively. Her tone cut like ice, venom dripping from every word.

Aslan's wide eyes tightened slightly. "You always did have a habit of doing the unexpected." He said quietly, an undercurrent to his tone.

A wild look flashed through Jadis's eyes, before she hastily regained her careful mask of cold indifference, her mouth set in a thin line.

Aslan finally tore his eyes away from her, and looked slowly around him. He saw the on looking faces of the hundreds who had gathered, all confused and expectant. He saw Caspian, who still looked baffled. He saw the Pevensies; Peter, looking anxious, Lucy looking upset, and Susan, who was still glaring daggers at Amber. And Edmund, who still hadn't moved, rooted to the spot with a dead, empty face, and lifeless eyes. Aslan turned back to Jadis, his fury evident in his eyes.

"This has to be dealt with." He stated.

Jadis snorted. "It's too late." She snapped bitterly.

Following their angry exchange, Amber frowned in confusion, mirroring the expression on most faces in the courtyard. What on earth were they talking about?

"It's _not_ too late!' Aslan bellowed. "This _has _to be dealt with Jadis, and it _will _be dealt with! You are putting innocent lives on the line here, Jadis, without a second thought!" Aslan's eyes bored into Jadis's. "Are you really willing to put the life of your own _son _at risk?"

A shocked, heavy silence ensued. Aslan didn't take his eyes off Jadis. No one else did either. The whispers failed to start up again, everyone just beyond shocked and confused at this stage.

Amber felt her eyes widen, and her mouth drop open with a _pop_. She hesitantly turned to look at her mother with an unsure, doubtful expression.

Jadis had...a _son?_

Jadis looked furious, her eyes wild and angry. Her mouth twisted into an infuriated snarl. "How _dare_ you!" she snapped. "That is what I'm trying to _prevent_!" she snarled defiantly.

"Well, you're not doing a very good job." Aslan retorted furiously, his eyes flashing fiercely. "All these lies, all these secrets, they've damned us all. Not just you; they're affecting everyone now."He motioned toward Amber, who was completely lost. "See how you've dragged her into this now? Your innocent daughter?" Then he glanced pointedly at Caspian, looking back at Jadis accusingly. "And look at your _son_, Jadis. Also innocent. Does he really deserve this?"

Everything went deadly silent. No one could even muster up a gasp of suprise, they were that speechless.

But Caspian's expression exceeded that of everyone else. He looked absolutely stunned into aghast silence, his mouth parted in open-mouthed disbelief, his wide-eyes locked on Jadis in dismay.

"...What?" he whispered, sounding baffled, with a hint of horror. The crowd was coming to aswell, the whispers starting slowly but surely.

'_He can't be serious...'_

'_Caspian, our king? He couldn't be!'_

'_Could he..?'_

Jadis looked beyond furious at this stage, her eyes blazing with fury, as she trembled with rage. "_Stop_! You've gone _too_ far!" she snapped accusingly, pointing a shaking finger at him. "You're upsetting _everything_!"

The crowd was louder now, everyone trying to be louder than the other, confusion and uncertainty spreading like a plague. Amber stared at Caspian in astonishment.

_Caspian, her brother._

Aslan didn't say anything in response to Jadis, simply glancing at Caspian with an expression of something akin to regret. He sighed before looking back to Jadis, and opening his mouth as if to speak.

But Jadis didn't give him the chance, scowling angrily at him before turning swiftly and marching back toward her horse.

"Amber." She snapped tightly, shaking Amber from her reverie with a jolt.

"Tomorrow at noon, Jadis." Aslan called after her gravely his eyes sad. "I'll be here. I need an answer."

Jadis simply acted like she hadn't heard him, like he hadn't said anything at all. She swiftly mounted her horse with blazing eyes and a grim mouth, irritably motioning for Amber to follow suit. Amber hastily did so, after shooting one more curious look at Caspian, whose mouth was still dropped open in shock, the new still sinking in. Before mounting the horse brought for her, Amber turned, and shot Edmund one last apologetic glance, wishing with all her heart that he could understand.

And then she swung her leg up, mounting her horse, and rode away from what had become everything to her.

**Review, and tell me what you think. Ideas are welcome too!**


	28. Chapter 28

**i'm not even going try and make excuses for the ridiculous delay in updating. hopefully, this will make up for it!**

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

**Edmund POV**

_Lies._

Everything, absolutely _everything_, had all just been one big lie. Every second of every minute of every hour of every godamn day.

_A lie._

How could he have been so utterly blind, so utterly, _stupidly _blind?

The whole time, the whole bloody time, she had simply been _playing_ him. She has been toying with him, leading him on, and messing around with him. He had been like her puppet; she pulled the strings, he responded without question, trusting her wholly, completely. Idiotically, he had heedlessly; recklessly fallen for the clever, devious act she had put on. When really, she had been preparing herself to go in for the kill. Literally.

But honestly, he really hadn't seen it coming. At all.

Just more proof of how she had planned it all to perfection, he supposed. Every single unimportant detail. Nothing had been left to chance. No wonder she had fooled them all.

And besides of all of that, she was the White Witches daughter.

_Amber was the White Witches' daughter._

Who had even known that the White Witch had a daughter?

And why did that daughter have to be _Amber_, of all people?

For the life of him, Edmund quite simply could not get his head around it.

How could it be, that the women who despised him most, with an _intense_ passion, and badly wanted him dead, was the mother of the girl he was in love with?

Was it some sort of bloody twisted _joke_? Was Edmund missing something here? Was he the punch line, or something?

Unfortunately, Edmund _had _fallen in love with Amber, somewhere along the line. He couldn't pin point when exactly. Now that he thought of it, (even though he'd much rather not think about it), he had probably fallen for the very first moment he'd seen her. He'd had it coming from the very beginning.

But how could he not have fallen for her? Amber had been perfect. Edmund had always hated all those stupid, silly, simpering girls who giggled endlessly, flouncing around him with their big poofy dresses and red cheeks. Amber had been different, so amazingly, brilliantly, different. Edmund had been absolutely convinced that Amber was all that he wanted and everything that he _needed_.

It seemed that was still the case. That would explain why he felt so completely lost, so utterly meaningless, so helplessly helpless. He was filled with emptiness, just like her countless empty lies, one after the other. He felt as if all the strings of life tying him down to earth had been slashed; he was now floating aimlessly, with no direction, no thought, no feeling. He had nothing left.

Edmund was finding it hard to believe. Well, no, it was more like he didn't _want_ to believe it. He didn't want to believe that the Amber he had come to know, and grown to love over the past few months was just _fake_, that it was all an act. Now, he just saw Amber as another Jadis. She was just like her mother, cruel, heartless, cold, deceiving, but to name a few.

No wonder Amber had been able to fight so damn well. Why on earth had he believed her rubbish of 'self-defence'? How could he have been so stupid? It was almost funny, how he only started noticing now all the things he should have noticed before.

But who had even known the White Witch, of all people, had _children_? If anyone had ever said that to Edmund, he would have laughed outright. But apparently, he was wrong. Everyone had been wrong. Edmund had to admit, reluctantly, that she certainly could keep a secret. She could keep a secret so well that no one, not even Caspian himself, had known that she was his own mother.

Everyone, including Caspian, had thought he was an orphan, his mother having died in childbirth, and his father killed many years ago. Caspian himself had never even questioned that.

_How on earth could it be possible?_

Sure, now that he thought about it, Amber was quite similar to her mother. But Caspian? His tanned skin was shades away from the White Witches deathly pale colour, his eyes a deep, warm brown, compared to her icy, grey ones. Maybe he took after his father. But that raised another question - who was his father? Were there more lies? Edmund wouldn't be suprised.

That would mean that Caspian's father was Amber's father too. Amber and Caspian were brother and sister. Had they known, beforehand? Edmund doubted it. Caspian had looked pretty suprised, and so had Amber, at finding out they were brother and sister.

But then again, it was just another thing Edmund should have noticed, but didn't. Amber had those big, beautiful brown eyes that were so similar to Caspian's, just to name one similarity of many. He should have noticed. Why hadn't he noticed?

But what it all came down to, in the end, was that Amber was the White Witches' daughter. And now, so was Caspian.

Edmund's head was a mess; he didn't have a clue what to think. Caspian was still Caspian to him, but apparently, not everyone felt the same way about it as Edmund did. Just about half an hour ago, Edmund had received word that a distraught Susan had called off her and Caspian's engagement, before they'd even had the chance to share the news about their engagement with anyone themselves.

They had only been engaged for a mere two days. Two days.

But they had been together for years, longer than Edmund could even remember. And now, all those years of love, commitment and joy, had been abruptly thrown away, after this new revelation.

The sad story only highlighted the deep, bitter division that ran between the Narnian's and the Northlanders, a profound division that couldn't simply be ignored, or pushed aside. The rupture had developed many, many years ago, and over the years, it had only gotten worse. Only a few years ago, the White Witch had attempted to kill Edmund, and very nearly succeeded. And now, just a few years on, here was her daughter, attempting to do the very same.

Maybe they weren't aware of it, but attempting to take someone's life had been known to offend a person.

But even if things had happened differently, could Amber and himself had worked out? As in, if Amber hadn't set out to bloodywell_ kill_ him, would it ever have been possible for them to be together? Would it have made a difference, about who she was, where she came from, who her mother was, or what she stood for?

But he shouldn't be wondering about that. It was too late, anyway. None of that mattered anymore, because Amber _had_ tried to kill him, and it _did_ make a difference, her being the White Witches' daughter, coming from the Northland's, being the enemy. It hadn't worked out. It had all been lies.

But still, a tiny, defiant part of him thought differently. Maybe it was just wishful thinking on his part, but he couldn't forget what had happened in the infirmary only a short while ago, when Amber had raised her dagger to him, but then dropped it, claiming she 'couldn't do it'.

That had to mean _something_, right?

And what about everything else, everything single little thing that had _ever _happened between them? Every moment they had shared and spent together, every smile, every laugh?

It couldn't have been pretend. It simply _couldn't_ have been. It had all felt so real, so sincere. Edmund could close his eyes right now, and he could still smell her fresh, cool, comforting scent of pressed lavender, he could still see her bright, radiating smile; her lighting, wondrous brown eyes. He could see everything as clear as if she was standing right there before him.

It had to have meant something to her. Something, _anything_.

Oh, who was he kidding? Was he forgetting who Amber's mother was? The White Witch had always been the queen of manipulation, the master of deceit, cleverly spinning a web of lies and empty promises and threats that you yourself always ended up tangled up in. No doubt, Amber would follow in her footsteps, and Edmund was just yet another one of her many victims.

It was just him, acting exactly like the idiot she had always claimed him to be, foolishly falling for her. And when she turned out to be _nothing_ like the person he thought she was he still tried stupidly to ignore and push aside all the wrong things she had done, just so he could re-build her perfect image from before. That would make it all seem ok. Then he wouldn't feel so completely and utterly heartbroken.

But the sad truth was that Amber had lied, and she had used Edmund, and now she was gone.

_Now she was gone._

**Amber POV**

_Silence._

A heavy, weighted silence hung over the party like a dark, grim cloud as they travelled, quickly lengthening the distance between themselves and Cair Paravel. With each heavy step, Amber felt herself feel a little emptier, as she lengthened the distance between herself and what had become home.

Jadis led the large group, ignoring everyone else. Amber was thankful for that, thankful that she didn't have to talk to her. She didn't know what on earth she would have to say, or if he would anything to say at all. Instead, Amber simply trailed at the end, consumed by her thoughts.

Eventually, they had been called to a stop. The party had made camp for the night in a huge, remote meadow, filled with thick, luscious green grass and soft mosses, purple heathers, and trees with leaves that fluttered in the light breeze. It was breathtaking; if Amber had noticed any of it, she would have been awestruck.

But Amber didn't notice any of it. She didn't notice anything. Hours slipped by, one after the other. But Amber was too numb to notice the sky changing colours as she sat beside the campfire, her eyes glaring at the flickering orange flames before, without really seeing them.

It was around nine o clock, when one of the soldiers hesitantly approached Amber. Now the sky was morphing into a darker shade of blue, the last of the fading sun casting long shadows on the ground, and the nightly chill setting in. Not that Amber noticed.

"...Princess Amber?"

Amber's eyes didn't move from the orange flames shooting up before her. "Hmmm?" she replied distractedly.

"Your mother requests your presence at the outer edge of the camp?" He informed her politely, apologetically. His eyes were sympathetic, as if he knew what was coming.

This finally earned Amber's attention, her head snapping up to look at the soldier with growing apprehension lighting in her suddenly fearful, wary eyes.

So this was it.

This was her punishment for failing her task.

**XXX**

Amber eventually reached the edge of the camp, having taking as long as she possibly could, drawing out the journey more than she initially thought she could have. She came to a small hill, where the ground was coated with a layer of soft, squishy moss, and dotted with patches of thick, short grasses. The hill overlooked the surrounding landscape of even more rolling fields, and the darkness of far-away dark forests contrasting with the dim moonlight reflecting off the dim surfaces of distant lakes and rivers.

Her mother was standing with her arms folded and her back to Amber. She gave no indication that she was aware of Amber's presence.

Taking a deep breath, Amber walked slowly up to her mother, carefully keeping her face empty.

"You requested my presence." She stated quietly, her voice devoid of any emotion.

Her mother's head turned slightly, acknowledging her presence before turning away again.

"I did." She replied evenly, her voice mirroring Amber's.

Nobody said anything, and an discomfited silence followed. Amber was tense; her mind racing ahead of herself, dreading whatever was coming. After a minute or so, Jadis's head briefly turned again.

"Come watch with me." Amber was taken aback; surprisingly, it sounded more like an invite than a demand, as it usually would be.

And so, slowly, cautiously, Amber closed the distance between herself and her mother, coming to a wary stop, standing to the left of her mother. She glanced circumspectly at her mother's face, and was taken aback to see her customary cold facade absent. Instead, her mother's face looked tired and weary, defeated. Amber forgot herself and her own worries as she stared at her mother in concerned unease.

The silence continued uninterrupted. Neither Jadis nor Amber made a move; Jadis staring up at the darkening sky, Amber pretending to look up too, whilst really, she couldn't help but glance worriedly at her mother every minute.

"Did you know," Jadis said suddenly, still not moving. "That stories can be made from the stars?" she glanced briefly at Amber, her face back to an indifferent expression. Amber didn't say anything in response, just looking at her mother, who looked back toward the sky. "Astronomers used to read the stars, depict their meaning. Sometimes, they could tell the future, and make prophesies, from what they deciphered and discovered."

Amber frowned, slightly baffled as to where this was going. She didn't know what she had been expecting, but it certainly hadn't been this, a lecture on _astronomy._

Her mother let out a quiet sigh, dropping her gaze, her face suddenly sad. Amber looked on worriedly.

"Around thirty or so years ago, there was an ongoing war between the Lone Islands and Narnia. After many years, Narnia eventually defeated them. There was then a massive convention held in Narnia, to decide what was to be done with the land that had been won, how it was to be divided, and so on."

A wry smirk passed briefly over her mother's face. "Back then, believe it or not, we Northlanders were on good terms with the Narnian's." She snorted. "We were more than willing to offer our help to them throughout the duration of the war, and we offered them whatever amount of aid, soldiers, and weapons they needed. And in reward for our help, we were to be given a substantial division of the land won in the Lone Islands. And so, my father, my mother and I, and a few other members of court travelled to Narnia, to attend the convention and negotiate agreements."

Amber felt like she was looking at a different person as the slightest smile appeared on Jadis's face, as she reminisced. "When in Cair Paravel, we met both the Narnian King and Queen, and their son. I was just eighteen at the time, the same as you are now, and he, their son, was twenty. And the moment I saw him, I fell in love with him. No words could describe how I felt at that moment. I thought he was just utterly _perfect_. Impossibly tall, dark, curly hair, big brown eyes..." Jadis faced Amber, smiling sadly. But the smile didn't quite reach her sad eyes.

"Do want to know who he is?" she said quietly, holding Amber's eyes.

Amber nodded quickly, her own eyes trained on her mother, as if caught in a trance. She found herself caught up in the story, all thoughts and worries of her punishment gone. Her mother looked at her grimly, her sad smile vanished. She looked back up at the sky, the saddest of all sad expressions etched onto her face.

"His name was Aslan." She said quietly, after a minute.

Amber stared at her mother.

"Aslan." she repeated, frowning.

Her mother looked at her again, not saying anything, just looking at her with a sad, serious expression. Amber's eyes widened.

"Aslan, as in, _the_ Aslan? The Aslan we saw today? The _lion_?" Amber breathed, her tone shocked.

Jadis looked gravely at Amber. "He wasn't a lion at the time." She stated solemnly.

Amber continued to stare in disbelief at her mother.

Jadis sighed again. "Quite unbelievable, isn't it." She let out a short, empty chuckle. "But, it's true. Aslan was the young Narnian prince, and as far-fetched as it sounds, we both fell in love with each other."

Amber frowned, shaking her head in bafflement. She had never really wondered who her father was, or where he was. It had always just been herself and her mother. Why would she have any need to question that? On the one occasion when she had questioned this, she had sharply been told to drop the subject.

This would mean that Aslan...Aslan was her father. Her _father_.

Amber shook her head, feeling slightly dazed. Why was her mother telling her this? What did it have to do with anything? It was only adding to Amber's confusion, creating many more questions.

Jadis continued. "Both of our parents were equally delighted with the match. In everyone's eyes, everything was perfect. Nothing could be more convenient. Within just a year, Aslan and I had married, with the biggest, most lavish ceremony that had ever been seen in the history of Narnia. And within just months of our marriage, I was with child."

The smile faded from Jadis's face. "And that's where everything started going wrong."

Jadis swallowed, looking at Amber with a grave expression. "In those times, dark magic was extremely popular. It meant an easier way of attaining power, and having more power than anyone else. Countless people yearned for this title, yearned to be more powerful than anyone else. The Lady of Green Kirtle, or as you may know her, The Green Lady, was one of these people.

Around the time when I became pregnant, The Lady of Green Kirtle was banished from her homeland in the East. She bore a greedy, desperate desire to become immortal, to live forever, and to have more power than _anyone_ else. For years, she had been looking into dark magic to find the means of doing so. But dark magic required something back: a sort of sacrifice. And when she resorted to stealing away children for that purpose, she was exiled from the country, from her home. And so she brought herself to Narnia, full of wrath and hatred, determined to inflict pain on everyone else, and even more determined to become immortal.

But, Aslan and I were happily oblivious to all of this at the time, wrapped in our own little bubble of happiness and joy. We had our first child, a beautiful little boy, and we named him Caspian."

Amber pressed her lips together, averting her gaze from her mother to hide her confusion. So it _was_ true. Amber had been finding it extremely hard to come to terms with; convinced it was just some stupid, ridiculous mistake. But no, Caspian _was_ her brother.

"Aslan and I were beyond ecstatic, of course." Jadis continued, with a faraway look in her eyes. "The whole kingdom was. And not long after, I was with child yet again. We were both so happy, so _unbelievably_ happy. We both thought nothing could be wrong. I was absolutely _sure_ nothing could go wrong. Everything was so perfect, so absolutely perfect.

And then the argument between both of our families sparked. My parents claimed that the Northlander's hadn't received their fair share of land from the Narnian's, considering the huge amount of aid they had provided throughout the duration of the war. But the Narnian's angrily argued that they had given the Northlanders all the land that they deserved. The argument continued, and somewhere along the line, it escalated to an angry war between the two of our families.

And yet, despite these new divisions, Aslan and I still loved each other." Here, Amber thought she saw her mother's face became rather choked up. "We were still incredibly, blissfully happy. We had our second child, a little girl this time, and we named her Breanne."

_Breanne._

Breanne.

Breanne was the girl, the blonde girl from the forest, the girl the Green Lady had stolen. Breanne was her _sister_.

No wonder Amber had marvelled at the similarities between them! Breanne was practically a blonder, older version of Amber. How could Amber have missed that?

"Still playing happy families, and despite all the odds, I became pregnant yet again, this time with you." Jadis continued.

"But then your father was called away by the Narnian's to fight in the ongoing war between our two families. He had no choice in the matter; he was told it was his duty, as the Prince of Narnia, to fight for his country. I too, was called to fight for my country, the Northlanders. But as I was with child, I was an exception. I was allowed to pass.

While Aslan was away, I remained at our castle, unable to go anywhere. It was beyond horrible, constantly worrying about both him and his family, whom I was quite close to, and worrying about my own family, and my own people. I nearly went mad." Jadis shook her head at the memory.

"During Aslan's absence, my family and friends from the North seized the chance to visit me, for the sole purpose of encouraging me to leave him. They claimed I should leave because of these new divisions that ran between our respective countries. They told me that we were doomed now, that things could never possibly work between us, what with the current state of affairs. They desperately tried to convince me to pack up and leave while he wasn't there, and begged me to come home to my country.

But despite all of their desperate attempts and pleas, I was firmly adamant. I loved Aslan, and I wasn't going _anywhere_. I had no doubts whatsoever that Aslan and I would stay together forever, despite everything."

Here, a sad sigh escaped Jadis. "And then, just a few weeks later, both of Aslan's parents were killed." A sad expression came over Jadis's face. "His father was killed in one of the many battles between the Narnian's and the Northlanders. And his mother was stabbed to death by a Northlander's spy just three days later." She swallowed. "Aslan was granted bereavement leave from the war, to come home for a short while, and mourn the loss of his family.

Aslan was distraught, completely devastated by the overwhelming loss of both his parents, each one within three days of the other." Jadis's voice lowered. "In a way, I felt he have hated me a little, because I was a Northlander, because I was on the side of the people that had taken his parents lives. For weeks, he wouldn't talk to me, or anyone. He simply kept to himself, mourning his losses.

And then, he had a complete turnaround. Full of blind, unstoppable fury, and the determined wish for revenge, he went back to battle.

And then, a week or so later, I received word that both of my own parents had been killed in battle, just outside the Forbidden Forest."

A sad, thoughtful look appeared in Jadis's eyes. "I suppose I felt exactly the way Aslan had felt, except the other way around. Hundreds of thousands of men had partaken in that particular battle, in which both of my parents bravely met their death. Who exactly was I supposed to pin the blame on? It could have been anyone. So instead, I pinned the blame on every single godamn Narnian in the world. It could have been any one of them, Aslan included. I felt that, perhaps, I bore a feeling of bitterness toward Aslan, simply for who he was, where he was from, who he stood for, what he fought for, and who he fought against. Filled with grief and loss, I began to feel that maybe, my family and friends had been right. Could we really be together, and be happy together, when such hatred ran between our families?" She looked like she was a million miles away as she reminisced, her sad expression unmoving.

"At this stage, both rulers of both opposing sides had been killed. And on this note, a truce was finally called between the two countries, and Aslan came home.

It became painfully evident from the very moment he walked through the door that things had changed between us, changed for the worse. Our home wasn't like it had been before. All the happiness and laughter had been sucked right out of it, and been replaced with this new, awkward atmosphere of tension hanging over us. The divisions created by the war had spread to our home, like a plague, creating a cold distance between us."

Jadis paused here, turning to smile softly at Amber, who blinked in suprise at the small act of affection, something she didn't often receive from her mother. "It was you that kept us barely hanging on. You brought fresh joy and renewed happiness into our home. You made your father smile, and laugh, for the first time in months. He absolutely adored you, with every fibre of his being. And for awhile, we were able to push aside all the pain, all the bitterness, the divisions, and we could pretend that we were a normal, happy family again. The icy frostiness that had formed between Aslan and I melted ever so slightly, just enough to keep us going, enough to make it seem worth it."

The smile faded from Jadis's face, and it became shadowed and drawn. "Do you remember what I told you at the start, about the astronomers making prophesies from reading the stars?" she said to Amber.

Amber nodded slowly, listening intently. It seemed like hours ago her mother had started off her story by telling her that.

"Well, just a few months after your birth, the astronomers in Narnia made a prophesy that affected our family hugely." Jadis swallowed.

"The Lady of Green Kirtle was infamously known and feared, as she stole away young children all the time, in desperate efforts to gain immortality. No one could ever catch her. Anyone who ever went after her never came back, ever.

She was still practicing dark magic to find a way to attain her immortality. What with the war and so on, she was never a main priority. We didn't think anything of her. We didn't have reason to. That was, until she discovered a way to get what she wanted." Jadis composed herself, looking slightly shaken. "She found that in order to gain immortality, the blood from a son of Adam was needed, as an offering to the God's of the Everlife."

Jadis's mouth tightened. "And because of Aslan's heritage, we found that our very own Caspian was a son of Adam. The others were Peter, Edmund, and a boy called Eustace. But they lived in another world; she couldn't get to them. The only available descendant was our son. And so, when Caspian was just three, Aslan and I found out that in only a month's time, the Green Lady would come for Caspian, and steal him away, to sacrifice him."

Jadis's face looked haunted. "I was beyond distraught. I was hysterical. Aslan was _furious_. And all of these new difficulties only made conditions between Aslan and me worse. I wanted to keep Caspian with us at all times, under strict watch and heavy guard, never to be let out of our sight. Aslan thought it would be better to hide him away completely, somewhere not even _we_ would know of, so there could be no chance whatsoever of him being found by her.

I absolutely disagreed with this. I needed to know where Caspian was at all times. I needed to have him with me to know he was safe. I certainly didn't want him hidden away, not having the slightest clue as to his whereabouts. Aslan argued that if no one knew where he was, how could she possibly find him? And in the meantime, he promised to hunt her down himself, and rip her to pieces. I disagreed with that idea even _more_.

In the weeks leading up to when The Green Lady was due to come for Caspian, Aslan and I repeatedly had countless, furious arguments over where to put him, what to do..." Jadis sighed. "But we could never reach an agreement. We were both too stubborn, each thinking we knew what was best for him.

The astronomers had predicted she would come on a Wednesday. It was the Monday beforehand, and we had just two days left. Obviously, Aslan had known that we weren't going to agree; and so, in what I realise _now_ where in the best interests of Caspian, he acted of his own accord. Once I had fallen asleep, Aslan took Caspian from his bed, wrapped him up, and disappeared with him, leaving him in the care of a close friend, who would take it from there.

Needless to say, when I woke to find Caspian gone, I was furious, enraged, and absolutely heartbroken. Aslan apologised, but said it was for the best. I wanted to kill him, really, I did. I locked myself up for God knows how long, crying my eyes out. I was convinced I would never see my son again, and it was all Aslan's fault.

But our problems had only just begun. When the Green Lady found out what Aslan had done to defy her, she was incensed, to say the least. She was enraged, absolutely livid, and shocked that anyone would have the _nerve_ to defy her." Jadis looked angry now, her eyes narrowing, her mouth tightening. "She was beyond furious at our surprising resistance to her, and was completely determined not to let us away with it."

Jadis's voice dropped slightly, her anger replaced with sorrow. "We woke one day to find Breanne gone, stolen away by the Green Lady."

Here, Jadis had to pause to collect herself. She drew a deep breath, looking visibly shaken. Amber felt a sort of horrified shock, as she watched a solitary tear escape her mother's eyes, and trail down her usually composed face. She had never seen her like this, ever. It was _horrible_.

"I was in an awful state, an absolutely awful state." Jadis continued; her face downcast. "Everything had gone so terribly, tragically wrong. I blamed Aslan for taking away Caspian. He blamed me for the loss of Breanne. I blamed him for the loss of both of my parents. Likewise, he blamed me for the loss of his. And by then, our love wasn't enough more, to resolve these huge differences."

Jadis sighed sadly. "I remember it like it was yesterday." She said quietly. "It had been only a few days since Breanne had gone missing. I had been going insane with worry, trying to figure out what on earth to do. And I just couldn't take it anymore. I figured that maybe, just maybe, my family and friends had been right all along. The struggle between our families, and the huge losses we had suffered, had made it impossible for Aslan and me to be happy together now. And the situation Aslan and I were in was a situation we couldn't simply shake off, or be easily rid of, especially not with all the blame and guilt hanging over us. Things had gotten so incredibly bad; we couldn't even look at each other anymore, not without starting some sort of a furious argument where we would simply point all the fingers of blame all over again. Other than that, we barely ever saw each other, pointedly avoiding each other. During the day, he disappeared with half the army, looking desperately for Caspian and Breanne, without success. And I would retreat to my room for the day, with you, ignoring everyone else. Even at night, we began to sleep in separate rooms; me upstairs in our original bedroom, him downstairs in one of our many spare rooms. It was like we didn't even live in the same castle anymore, we saw that little of each other.

And after a mere three days, like I said, I couldn't take any more of it. We had been such a loving, happy family, sharing so many joyful memories underneath the roof that, now, bore such loss, grief and hatred. We weren't even a family anymore."

Amber desperately wanted to reach out and comfort her mother; her face bore such an expression of utter sadness. But she knew her mother would hate that; she simply contained herself, listening intently.

"It was a Friday night, the night I left. He had just returned home after two days away. I never even got to see him. He went to your room and kissed you goodnight, as he always did, and then he simply retreated into his spare room downstairs, ignoring me, and locked the door for the night. I wasn't suprised however, and I don't blame him for it. But as soon as I heard the lock turn in his door, I hastily packed all of our belongings, securely wrapped you up, and left behind a short note for Aslan. It didn't even say much, just simply stating that I couldn't continue like this, that I was heading home, and that I was sorry. And with you wrapped in my arms, I left the castle, left my home, and to this day, I haven't ever been back."

Jadis sighed, her gaze dropping to the ground. "I went straight home, straight back to the Northlands, where I was warmly welcomed, without knowing looks, and countless remarks of 'Didn't I tell you so?'." A shadow of anger passed over Jadis's face. "As the only daughter my parents, I was heir to the throne, and without delay, I assumed my rightful position as queen. Filled with vengeance, I ignored the truce between Narnia and the Northlands, picking up where the war left off, as I knew both my parents would have. Aside from that, I sent out _countless_ search parties, looking desperately for both Caspian and Breanne, but to no avail. No trace of Caspian was _ever _found, and anyone that ever went in search of Breanne never came back."

Jadis pursed her lips, frustration becoming evident on her weary face. "I never received word from Aslan. In a way, I suppose, that made me even angrier, and even more upset. He hadn't tried to make me come home; he hadn't even bothered to contact me. I hated that.

But he was suffering far more than I could _ever_ have imagined." Jadis shook her head to herself. "Just a few weeks or so after I had arrived back home, the Northlands received the shocking, unbelievable news that Aslan, _my_ Aslan, had transfigured himself into a _lion_."

Jadis shook her head to herself again, like she still couldn't believe it. "I learned," she said quietly. "That, seeing as Aslan was so incredibly overcome with grief, overflowing with such staggering sorrow, having lost absolutely everything that he lived for, having lost everything he had loved and cherished-his children, his wife, his family - it all became far too much for him. Aslan's grief was far too much for him to bear. After retreating into the forest in bitter mourning, he took on the form of a mighty lion, so he could withstand all of his pain." Jadis glanced at Amber, her face sad.

"To say it was..._strange_...would be an understatement, to say the least. It was extremely _unsettling_, seeing the man that I had fallen in love with, and still loved, standing before me as an animal, with four legs and a _tail_. He was still as strong, as dominating and as striking as ever, but _still._ When Aslan came to speak with me in the Northlands...it had to be of the most _peculiar_ experiences I have _ever_ had, in my entire life." Jadis shook her head yet again.

"He requested a meeting with me, to discuss important matters." She explained. "I didn't know what he meant by 'important matters'. I don't know what I was expecting. I suppose a part of me expected another explosion, another fight, which I _needed_. I needed to feel something, anything. I had felt so incredibly _numb_ for God knows how long, at that stage.

And even though I damned myself for even considering it, a small part of me hoped that he would beg for me to come home, that he would reassure me that we could go back to being a happy family again, and that everything could somehow be ok again.

I couldn't help but wish for that. I _missed_ him, despite everything. I wanted my life back to the way it had been before, when everything had been so utterly perfect. And I wanted him to do that for me."

Jadis's eyes were miserable. "But it wasn't like that at all. He was so reserved, so formal, talking to me like we had never even been acquaintances. We didn't even talk much. Aslan literally walked in, said his piece, waited for my response, and then left. That was it."

Jadis sighed. "He politely told me that he knew where Caspian was, and he reassured me with the knowledge that he was safe and sound, under protective care. He refused to tell me exactly where he was though. He claimed I would only steal Caspian from him too, like I had done with you." Jadis's face was miserable, overflowing with sadness.

"And he had been looking into the issue of Breanne, trying to find out where exactly she was, what was being done with her, how to get her back." Jadis said gravely, her face twisting into an expression of anger. "And he found out that The Green Lady was using her as a sort of pawn, in order to get the son of Adam's blood, and therefore win her immortality. But The Green Lady realised it could take weeks, years, centuries for her to attain the son of Adam's blood. As Breanne had the blood of Eve running through her, The Green Lady found that she could sacrifice Breanne to the God of the Everlife whenever her own life was coming near to its end. This would ensure she could retain her half-immortal state for another hundred years, and give her more time to continue her search for the son of Adam."

Jadis sighed, a frustrated sound. "We had three options. We could hand over Caspian to the Green Lady, and she would give Breanne back in exchange." Jadis snorted angrily. "That option wasn't even _considered_.

And then we found that we had another option, in the slight loophole that Aslan had uncovered. If the next in line to Breanne obtained the blood of a son of Adam for the Green Lady, then that would be that. Breanne would be freed; Caspian would no longer be under constant threat.

And then, the third and final option; we could fight, fight until the bitter end."

Jadis sighed yet again. "We hadn't been given great options, had we? But, of, course, we chose to fight. The war between the Northlands and Narnia was called off, and they became united in their siege against the Green Lady.

This continued, for months upon months, and eventually stretching out to years. But the Green Lady appeared to be something close to damn _invincible_. After thousands upon _thousands_ of our best men had been casually and easily put aside and ruthlessly killed by the Green Lady alone, it became clear that we simply weren't getting anywhere. We were wasting innocent lives, for nothing. It just _wasn't_ working." Jadis frowned in agitation, her eyebrows pulling together. "More than once, I would find myself reaching the end of my tether and snapping. Filled with furious, frustrated rage, I would go out in search of her, absolutely determined to rip her to pieces. It was against the terms though, for me to do that, and each time, she would snidely remind me of that. And I retreat back home, humiliated, broken and battered."

Amber listened intently, a million questions of the tip of her tongue with each new piece of information she was given.

"So eventually, both Aslan and I had to call off the attacks. We had no choice in the matter. They just weren't working." Here, Jadis paused, turning to Amber with an apologetic expression on her tired face.

"Amber, you must understand the _immense_ pain I was going through. Losing a child is beyond the worst thing imaginable. And not only that, but I had lost _two_ of my three children." Her eyes became pleading. "And I wanted them back. I still _do_. I want them back more than _anything_, and both Aslan and I were _more_ than willing to do whatever it took, _whatever_, to get them back."

Jadis turned fully to look Amber straight in the eye, suddenly looking desperate, pleading. "And the only way I could get them back was to condemn my remaining child to combat the Green Lady when she came of age."

Amber stared dumbly at her mother for a moment, not understanding.

Then it sunk in. Oh, it sunk in.

And then suddenly, with horrified, sickening realisation, she understood what her mother was saying.

Immediatly, all other questions and thoughts were forgotten, and Amber looked at her mother with wide, horrified eyes.

"_Me_? _I_ have to fight the Green Lady?" she exclaimed, undiluted panic evident in her shocked, aghast tone.

Jadis looked away, looking back up at the sky, as if it held all the answers to everything. She didn't say anything, not meeting Amber's gaze, simply closing her eyes, and taking in a deep breath. Amber took her mother's silence as confirmation of the horrible, horrible truth.

"But mother! _Mother!_" Amber cried, desperately needing her to say something, to tell her she was wrong. "You _can't_ be serious! You _can't_! And I can't! I can't fight _her_! I could never possibly be able-"

"Hear me out." Jadis cut across her in a serious tone, her eyes snapping open to finally meet Amber's wild, frantic eyes. "Aslan and I had only two options at that stage. One being, you would battle with the Green Lady, and in the case of a victory, we would win Breanne back, and therefore, win Caspian back too, as he wouldn't have to hidden away anymore."

Amber frowned worriedly, undiluted fear running through her at the mere thought of it. Only two days ago, she had nearly been _killed_ by the Green Lady. And now, she expected to _battle_ with her?

"We then had one remaining option." Jadis continued. "You, being the next in line after Breanne, would obtain the blood of a son of Adam, and offer it to the Green Lady as an exchange for Breanne's safe return. Once The Green Lady has the son Of Adam's blood before her hundred years are up, she won't have any need for Breanne anymore."

Jadis sighed wearily. "But the odds, as usual, seemed to be stacked against us. Neither I nor Aslan wanted you to have to fight. We didn't want you to have to suffer too. So of course, we went with the safer option of you obtaining the blood of a son of Adam. We figured it would be easy enough to do, without any major difficulties."

Jadis shook her head bitterly. "But like I said, the odds were constantly stacked against us. As soon as Aslan and I agreed upon the decision that you would obtain the blood of a son of Adam, another prophesy was made, that turned everything upside down. It was quite long, and quite detailed, but what it simply stated was that you, and the son of Adam, which was Edmund, would fall for each other. This would mean you would be unable to make yourself to kill him."

Small things were falling into place now, as Amber's understanding of the whole situation grew. Upon killing Edmund, his blood could be used as an exchange for Breanne's freedom. But in the end, both Amber and Edmund had fallen for each other. She hadn't been able to hurt him.

But like it mattered now, anyway. She hadn't killed him, but Edmund still hated her anyway.

"So yet again, we were left looking for more options, other alternatives." Jadis continued wearily. "The only other known sons of Adam are Caspian, Peter, and some boy named Eustace. Caspian, of course, wasn't an option here. Peter...Peter is Edmund's brother, and as you love Edmund, you wouldn't want to hurt him in any way. And killing Peter would hurt Edmund, undoubtedly."

Amber silently, sadly agreed. She would never have been able to hurt Peter, even if it was to avoid the heart wrenching look of pain, hurt of betrayal that Edmund's face had bore, upon his finding of her long, endless list of lies.

"And the other boy, Eustace, he isn't here in Narnia. As far as I know, he's back in earth, a whole other world away." Jadis shook her head bitterly, her mouth set in a tight, grim line.

"So what choice did Aslan and I have?" she looked sadly at Amber. "Every way we turned, every option we had, was in some way bound by _some_ sort of ancient agreement, or a prophesy, or a bloody historical law of some sort. Everything would always go _against_ us, leaving us with absolutely no godamn _alternatives, _no way _out_." Her mother snapped angrily, frustration evident in her voice.

Silence took over for a few moments, as Jadis hung her head, breathing in deeply, collecting herself. Amber looked on in anxious anticipation of what was to come.

It was dark now, she suddenly noticed. How long has they been standing here for? It felt like hours. She glanced up, seeing the hundreds and thousands of stars that shone brightly over them in the sky, winking down at them. Amber suddenly found herself wishing that she could wish on just one of those bloody stars. She wished it would make all of the mess go away, wished it would solve all of her problems for her. Wouldn't life be easy if you could just wish away all of your troubles on a star?

Amber quickly shook herself from her reverie as she noticed her mother slowly lift her head, her face returned to its customary expression of sadness.

"It looked like we were all doomed." She said softly. "I was still as stubborn as ever, though. I was desperate to find a way out of things, desperate to find a way to solve this complete and utter mess we were in. I ignored the prophesy, convincing myself that if I raised you the right way, if I made you emotionally and physically strong, you would be able to defy the odds. I hoped that maybe, just maybe, if I raised you right, you wouldn't fall for Edmund."

Here, Jadis sighed sadly, yet again, a sound of such overwhelming disappointment. "You have to forgive me, Amber." She glanced Amber's way, with a sad, apologetic expression. "I was incredibly, _incredibly _hard on you throughout your childhood. I desperately tried to mould you into the person I needed you to be. It wasn't right of me, I know. It wasn't acceptable under_ any_ terms, but at the time, I became consumed by what I thought to be the right thing. I was completely blind to everything else but my one goal of getting my children back, which I needed you to do."

Her mother shook her head to herself, resentment written all over her face. "So I was extremely cold toward you, when you were a child. I wanted you to learn _not_ to love, in an effort to _prevent_ you from falling for Edmund in later years. I knew then, and I still know now, that my selfish actions would damn your life, but I simply couldn't stop myself."

Jadis's voice lowered, sounding faintly horrified. At who? Herself?

"I punished you severely for _any_ failure of _any_ sort. It was to place awareness in you, as to what would happen if you ever did fail. It was meant to instil a sense of fear in you, a fear of failure, and a fear of the punishment that would occur as a result of that failure. I hoped then maybe you would be far too scared to fail to complete any task I ever set you, such as killing Edmund. Everything, everything, was preparing you for killing him. I wanted you to be so cruel, so heartless, that you wouldn't even think twice, or care in the slightest about killing him." Again, Jadis looked at her apologetically.

"So a few months ago, I felt, or rather _hoped_ that you were prepared, that you were ready for your task. I felt that telling you the entire story, as I am doing now, would just put unnecessary pressure on you, and make you unsure, unstable, put you off focus. I figured if it was just like any other task I had set you, you would find it easier. I didn't want to take any chances; everything had to be absolutely certain.

But, of course, The Green Lady had everything under wraps. She was always one step ahead of us." Amber could hear the edge of frustration in her mother's voice again. "Just the day after you and Aetak were left in the Forbidden Forest, all means of communication I had with you had been cut off by The Green Lady. Any spies I sent to Cair Paravel either never got there, or never got back. The only night I ever had any indication as to what was happening with you was just a few nights ago, when you were attacked by the Green Lady." Her mother's face became serious.

"There is a sort of unofficial agreement, between the Green Lady and myself." Jadis explained wearily. "I had come to feel as though I was responsible for all the suffering that had been inflicted on our family. I felt like a failure as a mother, having let my three children down, in some way. I felt incredibly guilty, and I didn't want you, or Breanne, or Caspian, to have to feel more pain than you already had. Any form of pain that was ever inflicted upon you, I always felt that I could have stopped it, but I didn't. I always failed you." Her mother's hands were balled into fists, her knuckles white with anger.

"The Green Lady wasn't done with me yet. She wanted me to suffer too, and so she placed a certain curse upon me, so that whenever you, Breanne or Caspian are hurt in any way by her, I would also feel some of your pain. When she put this curse upon me, her intentions were to hurt me, to torture me, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally too. She wanted me to share the burden you were all forced to bear. She wanted me to know that whenever I feel incredible pain, one of you three are suffering through that same anguish, but ten times worse. And she knew that I could do nothing about it, and that, in knowing this, I would suffer even more."

Jadis inhaled, exhaled. "She does it to hurt me. And it does hurt me, incredibly so, in every way imaginable, but I wouldn't have it_ any_ other way. I consider the curse a blessing. It's certainly something I deserve. And it's a good thing; because it helps you. It lessens the amount of pain you have to go through. Not by much, but it's better than nothing. And that couldn't _possibly _be a bad thing." Her mother's voice was firm, convinced.

As this sunk in, Amber stared at her mother with wide eyes. She shook her head slowly as a wave of realization crept upon her, her thoughts whirling and twirling around her head. "But that night, when...I was attacked..." Amber said unsurely. "I got hurt pretty badly. The doctor said I was lucky, very lucky, and that I...I had nearly _died_..." she frowned, trailing off, her tone questioning.

Jadis frowned lightly, her eyes thoughtful. "After that night, the Green Lady would most likely have regretted ever having placed that curse upon me. It seemed to be the one thing that saved you that night. Amber, if I hadn't been condemned to share your pain, you would undoubtedly be dead, right now." She finished gravely.

Amber didn't reply. She _couldn't_ reply, as the stark reality of just how close she had come to death slowly sunk in.

What if her mother hadn't had this curse placed upon her? She would be dead now. And to think of how badly she had been hurt by the Green Lady, even with her mother sharing that pain too.

She kept getting lucky. But she wouldn't get lucky every time. Amber could feel it; her luck was running out.

"The following morning," Jadis continued. "After going through a night of excruciating pain, and knowing that you had experienced the same pain ten times worse, I just knew it wasn't going to work. You had fallen for Edmund; you wouldn't be able to kill him. And the Green Lady was out to get you, and she wouldn't stop until she did. I wanted you back home with me, safe and sound, where I could see you, protect you, where I could always be sure that you were OK.

Because, Amber, even though things seem bad now, I'm afraid it's only going to get worse. If there's one thing that the Green Lady hates, it's failing. And she's failed to kill you once, Amber, and trust me, she won't allow that to happen again." Her mother's face was anxious now. "She won't stop until you're _dead_, Amber. Mark my words; she will be after you again."

Her heart missed a beat, and Amber felt her stomach churn uneasily. She bit down on her lip worriedly, feeling a shiver creep up her spine, followed by a sickening sense of fear.

"_Mother_." She whispered frantically, her eyes wide and frightened. "What am I going to do?"

Jadis looked directly at Amber, her expression grave, her mouth grim. "I need to ask you to make a decision, Amber." She said slowly, saying each word carefully, cautiously.

Amber frowned worriedly, her brows furrowing anxiously into a confused, apprehensive expression. "What about?" she replied nervously.

Jadis took a deep breath, not breaking her gaze from Amber, who waited expectantly, her face deeply troubled.

"There's still a chance of getting Breanne back. And there's still time left to do it. Albeit, not much, but theres _time_." She said in low, urgent voice, her eyes boring into Ambers. Amber looked back at her with confusion, which gradually changed to deliberation, and then slowly changed to dismayed understanding.

Amber realised now what her mother was asking of her.

Briefly, she thought of Breanne, the sister she'd never known she had. She thought of how she had unknowingly let her down, how she had condemned Breanne to a certain death, a death that Amber had only barely escaped herself.

She thought of her mother, and all the pain and anguish she had been suffering in silence. She thought of how much she must miss Breanne, and how she owed this to her, to help her.

She thought of Caspian, the brother she also had never known she'd had. She thought of how he had never had any part in this, yet the sword was constantly hanging over his head. She thought of how, if she did this, he could _really _be free this time.

She thought of Aslan, her _father_. She thought of how he must have suffered, and still be suffering, to the same extent as to that of her mother. She thought of how she would be helping so many people, helping her _family_, if she gave them this tiny bit of hope.

Amber knew she would most likely die in undertaking this task, but it seemed only right. She owed it to everyone. Didn't she?

"I'll do it." She said suddenly, her voice subdued.

Her mother's eye widened, looking at her blankly for a moment, before realisation dawned in her eyes. "Amber..." she breathed, her tone both horrified and hopeful at the same time.

"I'll do it." Amber repeated; her voice louder, firmer this time around. She even nodded her head.

Jadis frowned slightly, her icy eyes filled with worry. "Amber...this is a _big _decision." She said hesitantly, like she wanted Amber to both disagree and agree with her. "It requires serious thought, serious consideration..." she trailed off unsurely.

It was too late now to change her mind; there was no going back. Amber shook her head dismissively in reply. "I don't care." She replied, her voice definite, however indefinite she felt on the inside. "I _have _thought about it, and I'm sure." She took a steady breath, feeling her insides constrict uncomfortably. "I've let both you and Breanne down already, and I'm _not_ going to do that again. I don't care what it takes."

Jadis was struggling to uphold her usual indifferent air. She trembled slightly, her mouth pulled into worried lines, her anxious eyes overflowing with worry, apprehension, and _fear _as they scrutinised Amber carefully, frantically.

"Are you _sure_ about this?" she said after a moment, a hint of desperation in her voice.

Amber inhaled, exhaled, and nodded once.

"Positive." She replied shortly.

**XXX**

The next day in Narnia was much like the one beforehand, in most ways. As always, the sun rose and settled comfortably into the blue sky, shining cheerfully down on Narnia, radiating heat and warmth. As always, most families got out of bed, men went to work, children went to school, and women began doing the housework. As always, the Cair Paravel watch guards positioned themselves at the main gate, replacing the weary night shift.

But today, there were noticeable differences. The cheerfulness that the sun radiated did not reflect throughout Cair Paravel. The usually pure blue sky was dotted with wisps of growing grey clouds, which cast shadows upon the ground below. And although the sun shone down, as per normal, a slight icy chill was felt in the air, making it more cold and crisp, than warm and dry. When families got out of their beds, most actually left the curtains drawn and the door locked, hiding themselves away from promised evil, whilst other families got up extra early, and set off for Cair Paravel. Schools were closed, as were all businesses and shops. Everyone was aware that something more important was happening in the Royal Courtyard today. And this morning, when the night shift guards were being replaced, twice as many guards as usual took their places, keeping a sharp and vigilant lookout for a certain _someone._

Cair Paravel's courtyard was much like it had been the previous day, crammed to the hilt with bustling people, who had all curiously flocked to the Royal Grounds on this particular day, all desperate to see a glimpse of '_her', _The White Witch, who was currently standing in the centre of a roughly shaped circle that the onlookers had formed around her guards. Amber stood alongside her mother, again, flanked by strict security on all sides.

Peter, Susan, Lucy and Caspian were standing opposite Amber and her mother. Edmund was noticeably absent from the group, his dark, messy hair and his deep, comforting eyes missing.

Amber wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or saddened by his absence. Part of her felt relieved, because, as of right now, Edmund hated her. Amber would much rather not see the look of pure hatred upon his face, which would be undoubtedly directed toward her. And then there were the unbearable, overwhelming feelings of guilt and shame whenever she thought of the horrified, betrayed expression that he had bore yesterday. She couldn't think of what she would do, if she ever saw him again.

And then, she felt a sense of sadness, knowing that this was just the way things were now. It was horrible, knowing that she was going to have to get used to this, get used to not seeing Edmund anymore. And this then lead her to the realisation that she didn't know what the godamn hell she was going to do without Edmund. Not just today, but the day after that, and the day after that...

But it was too late for repentance now. He hated her. And, judging by the furious looks she was receiving from his three siblings standing before her, they hated her too.

Still, Amber calmly kept her emotionless mask in place, still managed to uphold her cold, indifferent expression that she had plastered on her face, despite the confused glances Caspian constantly shot ar her, despite Susan's poisonous, deadly glares, despite the on looking crowds hushed, accusing whispers, where her name popped up quite often, regularly followed by the muttered '_traitor_', or '_liar_', or even some worse things, which she chose to ignore as she stared straight ahead at nothing in particular, keeping her expression carefully empty.

And then suddenly the bustling crowd fell quiet, completely and utterly silent, as Aslan suddenly appeared from the crowd, and stopped before them.

Amber's eyes narrowed a bit, as she glared at him, for a reason she couldn't even fathom herself. Yesterday, she had been seen him as some lion that she didn't know, the 'king of the enemy'. Today, she had to look at him as... as her _father_.

Hell, this would take_ some_ getting used to. Up until yesterday, she hadn't even _known_ who her father was, or where he was, or what he was doing, or whatever. The subject had never been properly discussed, as far as far as Amber could remember. And she had been perfectly fine with that.

And now here was her father, standing just before her.

And godamn it, he wasn't even a _man,_ for crying out loud! Her father was a lion! _A lion_! Her father was an _animal_. _Not_ human. Sure, he may once have been a 'proper man', but, still. Amber had never seen him until now. And he was a lion now. This was all she'd ever know him as, in all her two days of knowing him.

And as much as she hated to admit it, now that she looked at him, _really_ looked at him, Amber could reluctantly see the similarities they shared. Well, _some _similarities, what with him being an animal, and Amber being, well, _normal_.

Like the eyes, for the example. Looking into Aslan's huge, wide eyes was almost like looking into her own, like looking in a mirror. Both were a deep, dark brown, with slight flecks of golden showing around the pupil.

The only difference was that, beyond Amber's eyes, there was skin, and a nose, and a mouth, and hair, and normal _human_ stuff. Surrounding Aslan's oversized brown eyes, however, was an endless mass of thick, golden fur, a snout, an abnormally large mouth containing jagged, white teeth, and of course, a giant, fuzzy mane, which framed his huge head.

_Weird._ Amber could think of no other way to describe it. It was just plain _weird_.

Aslan wasted no time in greetings or formalities. Maybe he knew there was no point. Or maybe he was just the type of person - or sorry, _lion_, who got straight to the point. He came to as stop before them, acknowledging the three Pevensies and Caspian, before turning to glance briefly between Amber and her mother, his expression unreadable.

"Well?" his deep, gravelly voice gave nothing away.

Amber frowned lightly at this. Did he care, at all? Even just the slightest little bit?

He certainly wasn't acting like he cared. But her mother had told her last night that her father loved her, very much so. But then again, she hadn't seen him in...

She didn't even know how long it had been since she had seen him. That's how long it had been. So maybe she had meant that he _had_ loved her, as in, _past_ tense. Aslan hadn't seen her in near seventeen years. So maybe all of that _'love'_ had just gone away, or something?

But he was supposed to love her, wasn't he? He was her father. She was his daughter.

Amber, admittedly, deemed herself quite..._uneducated _in the whole 'father/daughter' relationship department, seeing as she hadn't even known who he was until yesterday. But she had figured that he would _care_, even just a little bit, or something along the lines of that.

Hesitant, Amber looked briefly to her mother with a questioning glance. Upon receiving an encouraging nod in reply, she inhaled, exhaled, and turned back to face _him_, Aslan, her father, whatever the hell he was supposed to be.

"I'll fight." She said clearly. Her voice was cold, faintly challenging, as if daring him to defy her. She kept her eyes firmly trained on him, watching and waiting carefully for his reaction.

Amber didn't know what sort of reaction to expect from him. Would he care? Would he simply laugh at her, and walk away? Would he refuse to give her permission to fight, or something like that?

Amber quickly checked herself. She hastily pushed aside her worry, furious with herself for caring in the slightest about what he thought. Who cared anyway? It didn't matter, what he thought, or what he said, or what he did. He had no right, absolutely _no_ right, to tell her what or what not to do. He had no say in her life, whatsoever. This was merely just...a show of respect, or something along the lines of that. Her mother had instructed her to tell him. It wasn't like Amber _wanted_ to tell him. He probably wouldn't give a damn anyway. Aslan may be her father, but he certainly hadn't acted like one.

However, Amber couldn't have been more wrong. She watched with barely contained amazement, as Aslan's empty, blank expression was replaced with a look of sadness, his face filled with sorrow, and his eyes brimming with distress, boring beseechingly into her own.

"Are you sure?" His voice remained even, not showing any of the pain that was evident on his face. His eyes didn't leave hers. Under the intensity of his gaze, Amber's words caught in her throat, and she found herself unable to find any words to reply. Instead, she slowly nodded her head once, as if she was in a daze, still not quite able to tear her eyes away from his.

Aslan stared at her for a moment longer, his eyes thoughtful. Gradually, his eyes darkened, narrowed and flickered toward Jadis, his expression hardening into anger.

"And I suppose _you_ are the one who forced this upon her." He growled accusingly, his voice barely containing his resentment, his pain still evident in his flashing eyes.

Upon hearing this, Amber could feel her own anger bubble up inside of her. Before Jadis had even attempted to open her mouth to defend herself against Aslan's ridiculous accusation, Amber furiously folded her arms and faced him with a defiant and immensely irritated expression written all over her face.

"Well, you _'suppose'_ wrong." She snapped. Her voice was cold, angry, dripping with icy venom. Her eyes were blazing heatedly, and she sounded and looked more like her mother than she ever had before. "I can make my own decisions, and I've made my _own_ mind up. I'm going to _fight._"

Aslan looked slightly taken aback at her outburst and its content, as did much of the on looking crowd. They now watched Amber with wary expressions, along with a newfound sense of fear. Jadis looked on proudly, the ever so slightest of smug smirks tugging at one corner of her mouth.

After a heavy period silence, Aslan exhaled a gust of air, still watching Amber carefully, his eyes not leaving her. Then suddenly, he glanced toward Jadis, his expression grim.

"She's turned out just like you." He said quietly.

Jadis let out a dry laugh. "You say it like it's a bad thing." She replied coldly, her face indifferent, but smugness clearly evident in her voice.

A shadow of sadness passed over Aslan's face. "It is." He sighed.

A flicker of hurt passed through Jadis's cold eyes, before it was quickly replaced and covered up with her usual mask of icy indifference. She pressed her lips tightly together, holding her head high, glaring Aslan's way. "We're done here." She said tightly, looking around her once more before turning on her heel, and glancing at Amber. "Let's go." She commanded, her guards surrounding her instantly.

Amber paused, taking just one more minute to glance one last time at Aslan, who was staring after her mother with an unreadable expression on his face. Maybe she was imagining things, but she thought she might have seen something akin to sadness and regret in his eyes.

Then his eyes flickered, and locked with hers. Amber felt herself freeze slightly, trapped in his gaze. His expression looked so sad, so defeated, that she felt like she had disappointed him in some way.

Dropping her gaze, Amber turned, and followed after her mother, her guard also moving to surround her.

She hadn't made it far when she heard a shout sound from somewhere.

"Wait!"

She turned, twisting her head to see who it was. Through her guard, she could vaguely make out Caspian, trying to reach her.

"It's fine." She murmured to the head of her guard, who in turn waved a hand to allow Caspian through to Amber. He made his way to Amber, looking uncomfortable, like he didn't want to be here at all. He came to an awkward stop before Amber, looking at her with guarded eyes.

"My apologies, Amber." He began cordially, his hands clasped behind his back. "I wondered if I could speak with you, just briefly."

Amber noticed Susan glowering at them from the corner of her eye. Ignoring her, she faced Caspian expectantly. "Of course, Caspian. What is the matter you wish to discuss?" she replied formally, unsure of how else to proceed.

The formality was suddenly gone, and his expression became anxious. He waved a hand in the air. "I don't think I even know anymore...I'm sorry, Amber, but I just...I just needed to talk to you. Everything has changed so _suddenly_, and now...now it's all so..._complicated_..." he trailed off unsurely, his gaze unfocused, looking at nothing in particular. Exasperation and frustration showed clearly on his face. His eyes cleared, and he looked back at Amber, weariness evident in his tired eyes.

"He told me." He said quickly, his tone quiet, looking her directly in the eye. "Aslan told me _everything_."

Amber unconsciously dropped all of her defences slightly, forgetting about her guard still surrounding them, forgetting about the silent crowd still watching them forgetting about Aslan and the Pevensies watching them.

"She told me, too." She whispered in a low, urgent tone, looking back at him.

Caspian leaned toward her slightly, allowing her to see the concern written all over his face. He frowned worriedly. "And you're _really_ going to fight the Green Lady? You really think you're prepared for this, that you'll be able to handle it?" he questioned in low tone, a disbelief and scepticism clear in his voice. His tone reflected exactly how Amber felt on the inside; disbelief at the thought that she was actually prepared to do this, and scepticism at the thought that she would be able to succeed.

Pushing these doubts and worries to the back of her mind, Amber bit down on her lip, shrugging quickly. "I'm going to _try_." She offered helplessly, knowing all too well that her current situation was pretty much _hopeless_. Who was she kidding?

She didn't stand a _chance._

Caspian seemed to realise this too, as he sighed deliberately and slowly, clearly frustrated. He inhaled, exhaled, running a hand through his hair.

"I wish I could do something, _anything_. I wish I could help you in _some_ sort of way." His frustration came through in his voice. "I need to get out of here. It's been my home for so long but...now, I feel so...so out of _place._ It's like I don't belong, like I'm some sort of unwelcome guest." He shrugged helplessly, his eyes showing his desperation. "They hate me now, all of them, because of who I am. Susan refuses to see me. I can't stand it." He looked a million miles away, like he had forgotten where he was, and who he was talking to.

"But I can't just _leave_. I'm the king. And besides, Aslan won't allow me to leave." He looked unhappy, so desperately unhappy, that Amber felt the strangest, strongest urge to reach out and give him a hug, and comfort him in some sort of way.

Since when had she become such a _caring_ person? She wasn't quite sure if she liked it or not. Still, she felt the compelling urge to reach out and comfort Caspian.

But she didn't. Instead, she hesitantly, unsurely, reached out a tentative hand and placed it lightly on his arm, looking him straight in the eye with what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

"Just think of it this way." She said quietly, forcing an uncertain smile to pull at the corners of her mouth. "It can't get any worse, can it?"

Much to her relief, a ghost of a smile appeared on Caspian's drawn face as he shook his head incredulously at her. "Of _all _the things to say, you just had to pick the _least_ reassuring." He chuckled, the laugh short and empty. His small smile then faded to nothing, as his eyes registered on something behind her. He nodded in the direction of what had caught his eye. "She's waiting for you." He said quietly.

Glancing around, Amber saw her mother and the rest of the men lingering around their horses. Looking closely at her mother, she could sense her discomfort, seeing she was obviously desperate to get the hell out of here. She glanced back at Caspian with an apologetic expression, and nodding a brief goodbye, before turning to go.

But she hadn't even taken one step when Caspian gently pulled her back yet again. She turned to face him again, with suprised, questioning eyes. His face was apologetic again.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly, his voice grave. "But before you go, I just...I just thought I'd better warn you."

Amber raised her eyebrows, looked at him expectantly, worriedly, painfully aware of her mother still waiting behind her.

Caspian's face was deadly serious, his eyes burning into hers intensely. "I overheard them talking last night, discussing the prospect of initiating war against the Northlands." He explained gravely. "It's based somewhat on the grounds of trespassing, but also, they're just extremely pissed off with you." He shook his head. "Amber, I don't think there's anything I can do to stop them. As I said, I'm not exactly their favourite person right now. They're not going to listen to anyone, especially not _me_." He said apologetically.

Amber groaned inwardly. This was just what they needed, on top of everything else.

"Thanks for the warning." She replied wearily, forcing a brief smile. Then she took a deep breath. "Caspian, could...could you do something for me?" she asked tentatively.

Upon receiving a firm nod from Caspian, she continued slowly. "Could you maybe - if you get the chance, that is- could you tell Edmund that, I'm...I'm sorry?" her nervous voice dropped to a whisper. "Please? Tell him I'm truly, truly sorry? And that I...I had no choice?" her voice began to shake slightly, wavering as she broke off, unable to continue.

Caspian nodded again, his expression understanding, sympathetic. "Of course, Amber. I'll pass on the message. Don't worry." He reassured her.

Amber smiled briefly, sadness overwhelming her again. "Thanks." She said quietly, turning and walking away quickly, before her emotions got the better of her.

**once again, i am so sorry for the loooong wait. i'm back on track now, hopefully updating weekly. would it be too much to ask for a review? :D**


	29. Chapter 29

**I know its awhile since i've updated. Won't bother with excuses.**

** This chapter is dedictaed to LuMezenga - dedictaed reviewer or what?**

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

**Edmund POV **

"The Northlanders have _insulted _our intellect, made an absolute _mockery_ of our command, and_ irrevocably_ damaged our honour and our pride, which we proudly hold in Narnia." Susan announced angrily. Her fist smacked down loudly on the table for impact, as she held the attention of all the members of royalty, and the generals and officials present.

Edmund sank back in his seat, sighing loudly in irritation, receiving a withering look from Susan in response. He simply frowned back at her.

Yes, the Northlands had made complete and utter fools of them, but did Susan really have to repeatedly point it out? Wasn't it embarassing enough already?

"Aside from that," Susan continued, radiating authority. "On legal matters, the Northlanders had spies trespassing and hiding in our territory, under false identities. This may have posed a serious threat to the safety of our people, which is our duty to prevent." Susan was in full debate mode, proposing the motion that war be declared on the Northlanders, on the grounds of their 'atrocious' actions against them. And, judging by the looks of the few members of the panicked opposition, she was well on her way to winning.

"Not only that," she continued, her tone now full of contained fury. "A plot to take the life of one of our very own kings, my brother, was in place." If she had looked angry before, she now looked downright pissed.

Edmund sank into his seat even further, as various sympathetic eyes flickered toward them. As if it hadn't been embarassing enough. He shot a poisonous glare at Susan, who ignored it.

"We simply _cannot_ let this pass unnoticed. If for nothing else, do it for the sake of our pride in Narnia!" she demanded, her hand coming down on the table again, this time with more impact.

Countless heads nodded readily in agreement. Susan had this one.

But then;

"Your highness, with the utmost respect, I do object." One brave member of the opposition suddenly said.

Silence.

Susan slowly raised an eyebrow, her expression full of utter contempt. She folded her arms slowly, expectantly. "Oh?" she said casually, as if she really wasn't interested at all. "Pray, do tell?" she continued expectantly.

In the few short seconds it had taken Susan to reply, the young official seemed to have lost all of his fleeting bravado. He now looked at Susan nervously, with the look of a deer caught in the headlights, looking like he now regretted saying anything at all.

Edmund couldn't blame him. But it was too late now. He pitied him. He was pretty screwed.

"Well, your majesty." The official began slowly, squirming slightly in his seat. "Our army has just returned from battle with the Telmarines. They are still recovering. If we were to go to war now, our army wouldn't be at its best, which it would need to be, against a country such as the Northlanders, who has an army of an absolutely _massive_ scale prepared."

Susan snorted contemptuously before he had even finished, shaking her head dismissively, her face scornful.

"Narnia has _always_ prided itself on having a vast, durable and _excellent_ army of a very high standard, even higher than that of the Northlanders. Our men are _always _well prepared, always ready and waiting, and ready for battle at the drop of a hat. That proud reputation we boast has _never _changed, our standards have _never _dropped in the slightest, and it's most _definetly_ never going to happen either, especially not under _our _watch." She glared at the man before her, who was now near quaking in his boots. "Any more excuses?" she spat at him.

Having been openly made a fool of before all of fellow his colleagues, the official looked rather pissed, but managed to contain himself. "Well, we would just be unjustly initiating a war with a force that didn't _directly_ oppose us." He argued.

Edmund chuckled dryly, shaking his head. That was most _definetly_ the wrong answer. The official should have just said _no_, like any smart person would have.

Susan's furious eyes narrowed to slits, blazing dangerously as she glared angrily at the stupid, stupid official.

"Let me get this straight." She snapped tightly, her voice barely containing her anger. "The White Witch infiltrated not just our town, but our very own home, with hidden spies, and this isn't reason enough to fight back?" Her hands were trembling now, a sure sign that she was beyond pissed at this stage.

The official now looked like he just wanted to just shrivel up and die. He hesitantly opened his mouth, fumbling with words, desperately trying to think of something, anything to save himself.

Edmund smiled grimly. _Too late buddy._

"So what you're saying." Susan continued, her voice lowering even more to a vicious snarl. "That even though these_ spies_ that she sent in made an absolute fool of us, and uncovered all sorts of private information from countless, oblivious subjects in Narnia, we're not within our rights to retaliate?"

The official scratched his head nervously. "Well-"

"Never mind the fact that one of those _spies_ was preparing to _kill_ _my little brother_?" Susan roared furiously, her voice rising angrily.

The official finally closed his mouth resignedly, as he should have done long ago, dropping his head in humiliating defeat. "Of course, your majesty." He mumbled.

Susan glared furiously at him a moment longer, steam practically coming out of her ears. After a moment, she turned to face everyone in general, taking a deep breath to calm herself. "The White Witch has made a _fool _of us." She said quietly, her voice determined, convincing. "I believe that war should be declared on the Northlands, not only for their appalling actions against us, but also to reinstate our authority, which has been _severely_ undermined." Susan looked at everyone in turn around the table, purposely ignoring Caspian, who was sitting silently opposite Edmund, his face empty.

Edmund sighed inwardly. Susan seemed to be leaving out the fact that she also hated Amber's guts, which, in Edmund's opinion, seemed to be the main motivation here. That, and the fact that Susan had always been incredibly (and annoyingly) protective of him seemed to sum things up pretty well. In short, Susan wanted Amber dead at _any_ costs.

It wasn't that he disagreed with Susan. He hated Amber too. At least, he thought he did. Maybe. He wasn't quite sure yet.

Caspian, sitting just across from Edmund, quietly cleared his throat. "I object." He stated calmly, his voice even.

An expectant hush engulfed the room as the tension heightened, becoming almost palpable. All eyes were suddenly glued on Susan and Caspian.

At first, Susan looked taken aback. Then, she stiffened, glaring at Caspian with hard eyes, her jaw set angrily.

"Apologies, King Caspian, but your opinion cannot be taken into consideration in this case." Susan said formally, her voice cold, sounding like she wasn't very apologetic at all.

Caspian raised an eyebrow as though this news came as a tremendous suprise to him. He didn't break his gaze with Susan, looking at her evenly. "And why is that, _Queen Susan_, if you don't mind me asking?" he said politely, a slightly sarcastic emphasis on the '_Queen Susan_'. Edmund sadly, briefly, remembered the times when Caspian called Susan 'Susie', and she called him 'fathead.'

Susan was beginning to look incredibly strained at this point, as if this whole conversation was requiring far too much effort, taking too much out of her. She had a '_why are you still here?' _expression plastered across her face as she glared impatiently at Caspian, who looked right back at her with questioning, expectant eyes.

But Edmund knew his sister all too well. Beneath all the iciness, he could see the pain and suffering in her eyes. His room was only down the hall from hers; he had heard Susan desperately sobbing her eyes out repeatedly over the past few nights. So much so he had become rather accustomed to the sound of her anguished tears, but still, familiarity did nothing to ease the blows of pain he felt, having to listen to his sister suffer that way, every night, on her own.

"You see, _King Caspian_." Susan began icily. "Your opinion on this matter would be rather biased, don't you think? Seeing as your one of _them_." The icy venom that dripped from her every word was near palpable.

Edmund watched apprehensively as Caspian's eyes hardened angrily, their usual warmth noticeably absent. His mouth was set in a thin line, his lips turning white as he pressed them together in obvious frustration.

Edmund could also see the pain in his eyes, and the hurt and the pleading behind the hard expression, evidence of his suffering from his loss of Susan. But despite her own suffering, Susan was staying annoyingly true to the stubborn idiot she was, and refusing to talk to Caspian.

Caspian sat forward in his seat, still not moving his eyes from Susan's. "I hasten to remind you that _I_ am the king of Narnia." He snapped. "And _I _rightfully have the final say on this matter. Initiating a war which we don't have the means to support would only put ourselves in even more danger than we're already in, and damage our already damaged reputation even further." Caspian pointed out.

All heads turned back to Susan expectantly, apprehensively awaiting her response. She stood motionless at the head of the table; arms folded defiantly, eyes boring angrily into Caspian's. Her eyes mirrored his - anger, frustration and bitterness mixed with sadness, loss and unbearable emptiness.

"Very well then." Susan said suddenly, after what seemed to have been hours. "Why don't we take a vote?" Susan finally tore her eyes away from Caspian's to glance around the table. "There are twenty-two officials present. Twelve or more in favour of battle, and we declare war on the Northlands. Ten or less, we give it up. Eleven each way, and it will go to a public vote. Agreed?" she stated.

Around the table, people nodded silently in agreement, sitting up straighter. Caspian stared at Susan with an unreadable expression, before sighing reluctantly, and waving a hand carelessly. "Fine." He sat back in his seat, shaking his head.

Ignoring him, Susan unfolded her arms, placing them on the table, looking around at everyone.

"All in favour of declaring war against the Northlands on the grounds of trespassing, posing a threat to the well being of our people, and attempted assassination of a member of royalty-" here a few eyes flashed to Edmund, who returned the glances with a withering glare- "raise your hands."

Susan raised her own hand before she had even finished speaking. Edmund almost expected her to raise both hands. Peter's hand followed immediatly, as did Lucy's; with many more following suit after them. Caspian, however, didn't budge. Looking around, Edmund silently counted the raised hands in his head.

_Eleven._

And then slowly, almost unconsciously, Edmund felt his own arm rise slowly into the air, joining those in favour of war.

What could he do? In all honesty, Susan was right. Her argument was valid, even if there was more personal vengeance to it than political matters. But nevertheless, the Northlanders _had_ trespassed unlawfully, made an absolute mockery of them, and Amber had attempted to take his life.

And yes, _maybe_ the grounds on which Susan was declaring war were slightly – well, okay, scrap that, _very_ prejudiced, but still, Edmund had to admit felt the same way. Amber had deceived him, lied to him, and plotted to_ kill_ him, for crying out loud. And while he still foolishly loved her, he hated her too, in a way.

She couldn't just waltz in, cod them all, leave, and then just get away with it. Attempting to kill someone had been known to offend people. Punishment was required, and punishment would be exacted.

_She tried to kill me. Excuse me for being offended._

I think that's settled then." Susan announced, not bothering to hide her smug, victorious smirk.

_Not settled yet._

**Amber POV**

Unable to sleep, Amber lay in bed, wide awake, restlessly tossing and turning from side to side every minute or so, in yet another desperate to try and fall asleep.

But it just wasn't working. Every time she closed her eyes, Amber's mind was flooded with haunting images that bloody well frightened her. The Green Lady's wicked, mocking smile, Caspian's bewildered, broken face, Edmund's defeated, betrayed expression as he glared angrily at her...

And then it escalated, her troubling thoughts spiralling out of control, above and beyond her reach. This then lead to all sorts of confusing, furious internal arguments and debates. Amber couldn't make sense of any of them, repeatedly failing to get a grip on herself. Thoughts buzzed uncontrollably around her head, such as the upcoming fight, Edmund, Aslan, the Green Lady, Caspian being her brother, her mother, her feelings for Edmund, her newfound, unknown family...

And that was usually around the point where it all became too much for Amber to handle, and she would ground her teeth in frustration, try desperately to clear her head, and turn herself on her other side in a renewed effort to try and find sleep.

But it was like an endless cycle, never-ending. Every time Amber closed her eyes, she was overcome with those dreaded thoughts all over again, no matter how desperately she tried to evade them.

Inside her, Amber could feel the ever-growing urge to scream, or throw something, or hit someone, or just _anything_, to make it all go away, to make everything go back to normal. Everything was suddenly so _stupid._ Her mother was stupid, for_ ever_ having fallen for Aslan in the first place. That was what had started everything, wasn't it? And Aslan was just bloody well _stupid_ for being a _bloody_ lion. Seriously, what the _hell _had he been thinking? And Edmund, Edmund was completely and utterly _stupid_ for just being so_ godamn_ heart-wrenchingly _perfect_. And he was beyond stupid for not _understanding_. The Green Lady, she was stupid for just being stupid. She wasn't even _green_ anyway! What the hell was all that about? Narnian's were just seriously messed up. So was Narnia itself. Narnia was bloody stupid for announcing war on the Northlands, at the very time when she least needed them to. The Northlands were stupid for being so _stupidly _arrogant about the whole stupid thing. And why were the Northlands so bloody well _cold_? Why couldn't it be as warm as Narnia?

_Okay, now I'm seriously losing it._

Correction. Amber had lost it a little bit before that.

Amber sighed in frustration at herself. She inhaled, exhaled.

Amber needed to set her head straight. She needed to focus, get her mind around everything, organise herself, and clear her head.

_Okay._

The Green Lady. Fight.

Why?

_When?_

_How long do I have until I die?_

_Oh God. _

Almost as instantly as the subject had been brought up, Amber hastily pushed that particular matter to the _very _back of her mind, not wanting to go there, and not quite ready, either. The mere thought of a duel with the Green Lady brought on an overwhelming, crushing sense of undiluted _panic_. The Green Lady was stronger, better, faster...and what about Breanne? If she failed, Breanne would inevitably die. A mountain of guilt overcame Amber at just the thought of it. Breanne had been waiting and waiting for years upon years to be free. Held prisoner by the Green Lady, the only light at the end of the tunnel for Breanne was the hope that her little sister would kill a guy that she didn't even know, or have any connections to, just to save her. That didn't sound very hard, did it? And it _shouldn't_ have been hard at all, but of course, Amber had to majorly complicate things by falling for the guy that she was supposed to kill, and then fail. And so she had left herself in a situation where she now had to fight in a battle which she had pretty much already lost.

And that would undoubtedly kill her mother. Losing Breanne, when there was a way to prevent it, when it was possible to save her, would absolutely destroy her mother. And of course, it would only be so long before the Green Lady got to Caspian too. Jadis had already suffered _so_ much, and, as strong as she may seem, would she really be able to take any more?

And what about Edmund? He had only been the oblivious, unaware victim throughout everything. For him, Amber had simply been a girl who had conveniently popped up out of nowhere, and then had become practically his other half for the next two months.

And in the end, maybe, just _maybe,_ Edmund might have liked her just a little bit too. The Amber from a few a days ago would have been beyond delighted by this prospect, but now, it just made her feel all the worse. The fact that they could have had something, the idea that they could have had a future, but she had just thrown it all away, made the already heavy burden of guilt that weighed down on Amber all the more heavy.

And Aslan was bound to be affected by all of this too, as was Caspian. After all, Caspian was her..._brother_ and Breanne's brother too, she supposed. Which would made him was Aslan's son too...and also her mother's son. God, this would take _some _getting used to.

And Aslan – a bloody _lion_, for crying out loud - was her...her _father_, even though she had lived her whole life up to now assuming she simply didn't have a father. Why had she never questioned that? No, why did she have to find out? Everything had been so much easier when she hadn't known anything.

Exasperated, Amber screamed into her pillow, but all it came out as was a muffled scream.

_I have to go asleep. I'm going to go asleep this time._

Grinding her teeth in frustration, Amber flipped over to her other side yet again, trying for what had to be the _millionth_ time to fall asleep.

**Thoughts?**


End file.
